THREE  YEAR.S 


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ARCTIC 


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THREE  YEARS  OF  ARCTIC  SERVICE 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THB 


LADY  FRANKLIN  BAY  EXPEDITION 

OF  1881-84 

AND  THB  ATTAINMENT  OF  THB 

FARTHEST    NORTH 


BT 

ADOLPHUS  W.  CJREELY 

LIEUTENANT  C.  8.   AKMY,  COMMANDING  THE  EXPEDITION 


WITH  OVER    ONE  HUNDRED   ILLUSTRATIONS  HADE  FROM  PHOTOGRAPHS 

TAKEN  BY  THE  PARTY,  AND   ORIGINAL   DRAWINGS,  AND 

WITH  THE  OFFICIAL  MAPS  AND  CHARTS 


VOL.  I. 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1886 


COPYBIGHT,    1885,   BY 

CHARLES  SCKIBNER'S  SONS 


TROWS 
NEW  YORK 


UNIVERSITY  OP  CAL1FOKJV) 
SANTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  Lib 


Go  tbc 

LADY   FKANKLLN  BAY  EXPEDITION 

THESE  VOLUMES  ARE  DEDICATED: 
TO  ITS  DEAD  WHO  SUFFERED  MUCH— TO 

ITS  LIVING  WHO  SUFFERED  MORE. 
THEIR  ENERGY  ACCOMPLISHED  THE  FARTHEST  NORTH; 

THEIR  FIDELITY  WROUGHT  OUT  SUCCESS  ; 

THEIR  COURAGE  FACED  DEATH  UNDAUNTEDLY; 

THEIR  LOYALTY  AND  DISCIPLINE  IN  ALL  THE 

DARK  DAYS  ENSURED  THAT  THIS  RECORD 

OF  THEIR  SERVICES  SHOULD  BE  GIVEN  TO 

THE  WORLD 


PREFACE. 


THESE  volumes  appear  in  response  to  the  demands  of 
the  general  public  for  a  popular  account  of  the  Lady 
Franklin  Bay  Expedition ;  and  in  their  preparation  I 
have  spared  neither  health  nor  strength  since  the  ren- 
dition of  my  official  narrative  to  the  War  Department 
has  left  me  free.  The  Secretary  of  War  kindly  granted 
me  authority  to  incorporate  in  this  work  such  official 
journals,  maps,  etc.,  as  I  might  desire. 

This  narrative,  however,  is  based  on  my  diary, 
though  I  have  drawn  freely,  always  with  credit,  from 
the  official  field  reports,  and  also  from  the  very  com- 
plete journals  of  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Sergeant 
Brainard,  the  only  regular  diaries,  with  my  own,  kept 
during  the  retreat  and  our  subsequent  life  at  Camp 
Clay. 

Fearing  exaggeration,  I  have  occasionally  modified 
statements  and  opinions  entered  in  my  original  jour- 
nal, believing  it  better  to  underrate  than  enlarge  the 
wonders  of  the  Arctic  regions,  which  have  been  too 
often  questioned. 

I  have  profited  largely  by  the  acute  criticism  of  my 


vj  PREFACE. 

wife,  who,  stimulated  into  intense  activity  by  the  criti- 
cal situation  of  the  expedition  during  its  last  year  of 
service,  acquired  a  more  than  cursory  knowledge  of 
Arctic  work.  During  the  doubtful  time  she  noted 
with  keen  perception  the  vital  importance  of  the  re- 
jected bounty  scheme  and  urged  it  through  sympa- 
thizing friends  to  final  passage. 

The  engravings  are  faithful  reproductions  of  an  un- 
equalled series  of  Arctic  views,  the  work  of  Sergeant 
Rice,  the  photographer,  except  field  sketches — always 
noted — and  original  drawings  made  under  my  super- 
vision, for  the  correctness  of  which  I  personally  vouch. 

No  pen  could  ever  convey  to  the  world  an  adequate 
idea  of  the  abject  misery  and  extreme  wretchedness 
to  which  we  were  reduced  at  Cape  Sabine.  Insuf- 
ficiently clothed,  for  months  without  drinking  water, 
destitute  of  warmth,  our  sleeping-bags  frozen  to  the 
ground,  our  walls,  roof,  and  floor  covered  with  frost 
and  ice,  subsisting  on  one-fifth  of  an  Arctic  ration — 
almost  without  clothing,  light,  heat,  or  food,  yet  we 
were  never  without  courage,  faith,  and  hope.  The  ex- 
traordinary spirit  of  loyalty,  patience,  charity,  and  self- 
denial, — daily  and  almost  universally  exhibited  by  our 
famished  and  nearly  maddened  party, — must  be  read  be- 
tween the  lines  in  the  account  of  our  daily  life  penned 
under  such  desperate  and  untoward  circumstances. 
Such  words,  written  at  such  a  time,  I  have  not  the 
heart  to  enlarge  on. 

o 

The  tragic  experiences  of  the  party  excited  such  a 


PREFACE.  Til 

public  interest,  further  intensified  by  exaggerated  and 
unfounded  statements  on  many  points,  that  I  have  felt 
obliged  to  touch  briefly  upon  all  disagreeable  ques- 
tions. In  so  doing  I  have  adhered  to  the  stern  facts, 
while  I  have  modified  the  acerbity  of  my  judgments, 
remembering  always  that  I  speak  of  the  dead,  and  be- 
ing able  in  comfort  and  plenty  to  judge  more  lenient- 
ly than  when  slowly  perishing  from  cold,  disease,  and 
starvation. 

For  a  quarter  of  a  century  a  public  servant,  in  war 
and  in  peace,  my  faults  are  known.  Cruelty  and  in- 
justice, however,  are  foreign  to  my  nature ;  and  I  re- 
joice that  during  the  nine  months  I  commanded  a  par- 
ty of  suffering,  starving,  and  dying  comrades,  I  never 
treated  any  man  other  than  he  justly  merited. 

In  this  spirit  I  submit  these  unvarnished  records  of 

Arctic  service  to  the  public. 

A.  W.  GKEELY. 

WASHINGTON,  January  5,  1886. 


ORDERS  AND  INSTRUCTIONS  GOVERNING  THE  ORGANI- 
ZATION AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  LADY  FRANK- 
LIN BAY  EXPEDITION. 


HEADQUARTERS  OP  THE  ARMY, 
SPECIAL  ORDEBS,  )  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

No.  57.          j  WASHINGTON,  March  11,  1881. 

(Extract.) 

2.  By  direction  of  the  President,  First  Lieutenant  A.  W.  Greety,  Fifth 
Cavalry,  acting  signal  officer,  is  hereby  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
expeditionary  force  now  organizing  under  the  provisions  of  the  acts  of 
Congress  approved  May  1,  1880,  and  March  3, 1881,  to  establish  a  sta- 
tion north  of  the  eighty-first  degree  of  north  latitude,  at  or  near  Lady 
Franklin  Bay,  for  the  purposes  of  scientific  observation,  etc.,  as  set 
forth  in  said  acts. 

During  his  absence  on  this  duty  Lieutenant  Greely  will  retain  station 
at  Washington,  District  of  Columbia. 

BY   COMMAND  OF   GENERAL   SHERMAN  : 

E.  0.  DRUM, 

Adjutant-  General. 


HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  AEMY, 
GENERAL  ORDERS,  )  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

WASHINGTON,  April  12,  1881. 

The  following  order,  received  from  the  War  Department,  is  published 
for  the  information  of  the  Army  : 

In  order  to  carry  into  execution  the  act  approved  May  1,  1880,  and  so 
much  of  the  act  approved  March  3,  1881,  entitled  "An  act  making 
appropriations  for  sundry  civil  expenses  of  the  Government  for  the 
fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1882,  and  for  other  purposes,"  as  provides 


ORDERS  AND   INSTRUCTIONS.  ix 

for  "  observation  and  exploration  in  the  Arctic  seas  ;  for  continuing  the 
work  of  scientific  observation  and  exploration  on  or  near  the  shores  of 
Lady  Franklin  Bay,  and  for  transportation  of  men  and  supplies  to  said 
location  and  return,  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,"  it  is  ordered  : 

1.  First  Lieutenant  A.  W.  Greely,  Fifth  U.  S.  Cavalry,  acting  signal 
officer,  having  volunteered  for  the  expedition,  shall  take  command  of 
the  expeditionary  force  now  organizing  under  said  act  to  establish  a 
station  north  of  the  eighty-first  degree  of  north  latitude,  at  or  near 
Lady  Franklin  Bay,  for  the  purpose  of  scientific  observation. 

2.  Lieutenant  Greety  shall  have  authority  to  contract  for  and  purchase, 
within  the  limits  of  the  appropriation,  the  supplies  and  transportation 
deemed  needful  for  the  expedition ;   and  the  appropriation  for  this 
purpose,  made  by  the  act  approved  March  3,  1881,  shall  be  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  and  disbursed,  upon  proper  vouchers,  by  the  regular  dis- 
bursing officer  of  the  Signal  Service,  under  the  direction  of  the  Chief 
Signal  Officer. 

3.  The  force  to  be  employed  in  the  expedition  shall  consist  of  two 
other  officers,  who  may  volunteer  their  services ;  twenty-one  enlisted 
men,  who  may  volunteer  from  the  Army  or  be  specially  enlisted  for  the 
purpose ;  and  one  contract  surgeon.     The  latter  to  be  contracted  with 
at  such  time  as  he  may  be  able  to  join  the  party. 

4.  The  commander  of  the  expedition  is  authorized  to  hire  a  steam 
sealer,  or  whaler,  to  transport  the  party  from  St.  John  to  Lady  Franklin 
Bay,  for  a  fixed  sum  per  month,  under  a  formal  contract  that  shall  re- 
lease the  United  States  from  any  and  all  responsibility,  or  claim  for 
damages,  in  case  the  steamer  is  injured,  lost,  or  destroyed.     The  said 
contract  shall  include  the  services  and  subsistence  of  the  crew  of  the 
vessel,  and  shall  require  that  the  said  crew  shall  consist  of  one  captain, 
two  mates,  one  steward,  two  engineers,  two  firemen,  and  seven  seamen 
— not  less  than  fifteen  in  all.     Such  steam  sealer,  or  whaler,  shall  not  be 
hired  until  it  has  been  inspected  by  an  officer  to  be  detailed  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  for  that  purpose,  and  found  by  him  fit  for  the 
intended  service. 

5.  The  expeditionary  force  shall  be  assembled  at  Washington,  District 
of  Columbia,  not  later  than  May  15,  and  at  St.  John  not  later  than 
June  15,  1881. 

6.  During  their  absence  on  this  duty  Lieutenant  Gfreely,  and  the  other 
officers  of  the  Army  accompanying  the  expedition,  will  retain  station  at 
Washington,  District  of  Columbia.     The  enlisted  men,  who  may  volun- 
teer or  be  specially  enlisted  for  this  duty,  shall  receive  the  pay  and 
commutation  allowances  (except  commutation  for  quarters  and  fuel) 
that  accrue   to  men   detached    for  duty  in  Washington,   District  of 
Columbia. 


X  ORDERS  AND   INSTRUCTIONS. 

7.  The  several  bureaus  of  the  War  Department  will  furnish,  on  requi- 
sitions approved  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  necessary  subsistence, 
clothing,  camp  and  garrison  equipage,  transportation  to  St.  John, 
Newfoundland,  and  return,  medicines,  books,  instruments,  hospital 
Btores,  arms,  and  ammunition.  The  subsistence  stores  to  be  furnished 
*•  above  directed  are  for  sale,  not  for  issue,  to  the  officers  and  men  of 
the  expeditionary  force. 

BY  COMMAND  OF  GENERAL   SHERMAN  : 

R.  C.  DEUM, 

Adjutant-  General. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
SPECIAL  ORDERS,  )  OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  SIGNAL  OFFICER, 

No.  9.  \  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  17,  1881. 

1.  By  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  following-named  officers 
and  enlisted  men  are  assigned  to  duty  as  the  expeditionary  force  to  Lady 
Franklin  Bay : 

First  Lieutenant  A.  W.  GREELY,  Fifth  Cavalry,  Acting  Signal  Officer ; 

Second  Lieutenant   FREDERICK  F.  KISLINGBURY,  Eleventh  Infantry, 
Acting  Signal  Officer ; 

Second  Lieutenant  JAMES  B.  LOCKWOOD,  Twenty-third  Infantry,  Act- 
ing Signal  Officer  ; 

Sergeant  EDWARD  ISRAEL,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  Army  ; 

Sergeant  WINFIELD  S.  JEWELL,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  Army  ; 

Sergeant  GEORGE  W.  RICE,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  Army  ; 

Sergeant  DAVID  C.  RALSTON,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  Army  ; 

Sergeant  HAMPDEN  S.  GARDINER,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  Army  ; 

Sergeant  WILLIAM  H.  CROSS,  General  Service,  U.  S.  Army  ; 

Sergeant  DAVTD  L.  BRAINARD,  Company  L,  Second  Cavalry ; 

Sergeant  DAVID  LYNN,  Company  C,  Second  Cavalry  ; 

Corporal  DANIEL  C.  STARR,  Company  F,  Second  Cavalry  ; 

Corporal  PAUL  GRIMM,*  Company  H,  Eleventh  Infantry  ; 

Corporal  NICHOLAS  SALOR,  Company  H,  Second  Cavalry ; 

Corj>oral  JOSEPH  ELISON,  Company  E,  Tenth  Infantry  ; 

Private  CHARLES  B.  HENRY,  Company  E,  Fifth  Cavalry  ; 

Private  MAURICE  CONNBLL,  Company  B,  Third  Cavalry ; 

Private  JACOB  BENDER,  Company  F,  Ninth  Infantry  ; 


*  Grimm  having  deserted,  he  was  replaced  by  Private  Roderick  R.  Schneider, 
First  Artillery. 


ORDERS   AND   INSTRUCTIONS.  xi 

Private  FRANCIS  LONG,  Company  F,  Ninth  Infantry ; 

Private  WILLIAM  WHISLEB,  Company  F,  Ninth  Infantry  ; 

Private  HENRY  BIERDERBICK,  Company  G,  Seventeenth  Infantry ; 

Private  JULIUS  FREDERICK,  Company  L,  Second  Cavalry  ; 

Private  JAMES  RYAN,  Company  H,  Second  Cavalry  ; 

Private  WILLIAM  A.  ELLIS,  Company  C,  Second  Cavalry. 

2.  First  Lieutenant  A.  W.  GREELY,  Fifth  Cavalry,  Acting  Signal  Officer 
and  Assistant  to  the  Chief  Signal  Officer,  is  hereby  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  expedition,  and  is  charged  with  the  execution  of  the  orders 
and  instructions  given  below.  He  will  forward  all  reports  and  observa- 
tions to  the  Chief  Signal  Officer,  who  is  charged  with  the  control  and 
supervision  of  the  expedition. 

W.  B.  HAZEN, 
Brigadier  and  Brevet  Major  General, 

Chief  Signal  Officer,  U.  S.  A. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

INSTRUCTIONS,  )  OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  SIGNAL  OFFICER, 

No.  72.       J  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  17,  1881. 

The  following  general  instructions  will  govern  in  the  establishment 
and  management  of  the  expedition  organized  under  Special  Orders,  No. 
97,  War  Department,  office  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer,  Washington,  D. 
C.,  dated  June  17,  1881: 

The  permanent  station  will  be  established  at  the  most  suitable  point 
north  of  the  eighty -first  parallel,  and  contiguous  to  the  coal  seam  dis- 
covered near  Lady  Franklin  Bay  by  the  English  expedition  of  1875. 

After  leaving  St.  John,  Newfoundland,  except  to  obtain  Esquimaux 
hunters,  dogs,  clothing,  etc.,  at  Disco  or  Upernivik,  only  such  stops 
will  be  made  as  the  condition  of  the  ice  necessitates,  or  as  are  essential 
in  order  to  determine  the  exact  location  and  condition  of  the  stores 
cached  on  the  east  coast  of  Grinnell  Land  by  the  English  expedition  of 
1875.  During  any  enforced  delays  along  that  coast  it  would  be  well  to 
supplement  the  English  depots  by  such  small  caches  from  the  steamer's 
stores  of  provisions  as  would  be  valuable  to  a  party  retreating  southward 
by  boats  from  Eobeson  Channel.  At  each  point  where  an  old  depot  is 
examined  or  a  new  one  established,  three  brief  notices  will  be  left  of 
the  visit — one  to  be  deposited  in  the  cairn  built  or  found  standing  ;  one 
to  be  placed  on  the  north  side  of  it ;  and  one  to  be  buried  twenty  feet 
north  (magnetic)  of  the  cairn.  Notices  discovered  in  cairns  will  be 
brought  away,  replacing  them,  however,  by  copies. 

The  steamer  should,  on  arrival  at  the  permanent  station,  discharge 
her  cargo  with  the  utmost  despatch  and  be  ordered  to  return  to  St 


Xii  ORDERS  AND  INSTRUCTIONS. 

John,  Newfoundland.  After  a  careful  examination  of  the  seam  of  coal 
at  that  point  has  been  made  by  the  party,  to  determine  whether  an  ample 
supply  is  easily  procurable,  a  report  in  writing  on  this  subject  will  be 
sent  by  the  returning  vessel.  In  case  of  doubt,  an  ample  supply  must 
be  retained  from  the  steamer's  stores. 

By  the  returning  steamer  will  be  sent  a  brief  report  of  proceedings, 
and  as  full  a  transcript  as  possible  of  all  meteorological  and  other  ob- 
servations made  during  the  voyage. 

After  the  departure  of  the  vessel  the  energies  of  the  party  should 
first  be  devoted  to  the  erection  of  the  dwelling-house  and  observatories, 
after  which  a  sledge  party  will  be  sent,  according  to  the  proposal  made 
to  the  Navy  Department,  to  the  high  land  near  Cape  Joseph  Henry. 

The  sledging  parties  will  generally  work  in  the  interests  of  explora- 
tion and  discovery.  The  work  to  be  done  by  them  should  be  marked  by 
all  possible  care  and  fidelity.  The  outlines  of  coasts  entered  on  charts 
will  be  such  only  as  have  actually  been  seen  by  the  party.  Every  favor- 
able opportunity  will  be  improved  by  the  sledging  parties  to  determine 
accurately  the  geographical  position  of  all  their  camps,  and  to  obtain 
the  bearing  therefrom  of  all  distant  cliffs,  mountains,  islands,  etc. 

Careful  attention  will  be  given  to  the  collection  of  specimens  of  the 
animal,  mineral,  and  vegetable  kingdoms.  Such  collections  will  be 
made  as  complete  as  possible,  will  be  considered  the  property  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  and  are  to  be  at  its  disposal. 

Special  instructions  regarding  the  meteorological,  magnetic,  tidal, 
pendulum,  and  other  observations,  as  recommended  by  the  Hamburg 
International  Polar  Conference,  are  transmitted  herewith. 

It  is  contemplated  that  the  permanent  station  shall  be  visited  in  1882 
and  in  1883  by  a  steam,  sailing,  or  other  vessel,  by  which  supplies  for 
and  such  additions  to  the  present  party  as  are  deemed  needful  will  be 
sent. 

In  case  the  vessel  is  unable  to  reach  there  in  1882,  she  will  cache  a 
portion  of  her  supplies  and  all  of  her  letters  and  despatches  at  the  most 
northerly  point  she  attains  on  the  east  coast  of  Grinnell  Land,  and  estab- 
lish a  small  depot  at  Littleton  Island.  Notices  of  the  locality  of  such 
depots  will  be  left  at  one  or  all  of  the  following  places,  viz.,  Cape 
Hawks,  Capo  Sabine,  and  Cape  Isabella. 

In  case  no  vessel  reaches  the  permanent  station  in  1882,  the  vessel 
sent  in  1883  will  remain  in  Smith  Sound  until  there  is  danger  of  its 
closing  by  ice,  and,  on  leaving,  will  land  all  her  supplies  and  a  party  at 
Littleton  Island,  which  party  will  be  prepared  for  a  winter's  stay,  and 
will  be  instructed  to  send  sledge  parties  up  the  east  side  of  Grinnell 
Land  to  meet  this  party.  If  not  visited  in  1882,  Lieutenant  Greely  will 
abandon  his  station  not  later  than  September  1,  1883,  and  will  retreat 


ORDERS   AND   INSTRUCTIONS. 

southward  by  boat,  following  closely  the  east  coast  of   Grinnell  Land 
until  the  relieving  vessel  is  met  or  Littleton  Island  is  reached. 

In  view  of  the  familiarity  of  Lieutenant  Greely  with  the  methods 
pursued  by  previous  expeditions,  and  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  his 
judgment  and  discretion,  it  is  not  thought  necessary  to  furnish  him  with 
more  definite  instructions  than  those  contained  in  the  following  pages. 
While  he  is  left  at  full  liberty  to  vary  the  details  according  to  circum- 
stances, yet  the  main  points  here  given  should  be  held  in  view  as  of 
predominant  importance. 

W.  B.  HAZEN, 
Brigadier  and  Brevet  Major  General, 

Chief  Signal  Officer,  U.S.A. 


TECHNICAL  TERMS  USED  IN  THESE  VOLUMES. 


BORING  is  the  operation  of  forcing  a  ship  through  crowded  ice  by  steam 

or  sail. 
WABPDJG  is  moving  a  vessel  ahead  by  means  of  ropes  fastened  to  some 

distant  fixed  object. 

A  FIELD  consists  of  pieces  of  closely  aggregated  ice  covering  an  exten- 
sive area. 

BAY-ICE  or  HARBOR-ICE  is  that  annually  formed  in  closed  bays  or  seas. 
PANCAKE  is  a  piece  of  bay-ice  of  considerable  size  and  thickness. 
FLOE  is  a  large  piece  of  bay-ice  (or  palseocrystic  ice),  sometimes  miles 

in  extent. 
BESET. — The  situation  of  a  vessel  when  closely  surrounded  by  ice  through 

which  it  can  move  with  difficulty  or  not  at  all. 
ICE-BLINK,  or  ICE-SKY. — A  brightness  in  the  sky  caused  by  large  bodies  of 

ice  in  that  quarter. 
HUMMOCKS. — Uneven,  irregular  parts  of  floes  which  rise  above  the  level, 

as  hills  above  the  plain. 
LAND-ICE,  or  FAST-ICE. — Ice  attached  to  land  either  in  floes  or  in  heavy 

grounded  masses. 
LANE,  or  LEAD. — A  narrow  channel  between  masses  of  ice,  through  which 

a  vessel  may  pass. 

NIPPED. — The  situation  of  a  ship  when  forcibly  pressed  or  jammed  by  ice. 
PACK. — Large  masses  of  ice  in  close  proximity  covering  considerable 

area.    When  the  pieces  are  densely  crowded  it  is  a  close  pack,  when 

water-spaces  and  lanes  are  frequent  it  is  an  open  pack. 
SAILING-ICE.— A  pack  sufficiently  open  to  allow  a  sailing-ship  to  pass 

through. 

STREAMS. — Long,  narrow  collections  of  broken  ice. 

WATER-SKY. — A  dark-looking  sky,  indicating  open  water  in  that   di- 
rection. 
BUBBLE. — Small,  sharp,  irregular  pieces  of  ice,  many  of  which  are  loose. 

Formed  generally  from  young  ice,  which  has  been  broken  or  ground 

up  by  action  or  pressure  of  heavy  floes. 
TIDAL  CRACK.—  Cracks  formed  by  the  action  of  tides— generally  a  break 

between  the  main  body  of  ice  and  that  which  remains  fast  to  the 


TECHNICAL   TERMS.  XV 

land.  Through  this,  during  heavy,  rising  tides,  water  flows,  which 
is  called  tidal  overflow. 

PALEOCRYSTIO  ICE  is  that  of  such  character  and  great  thickness  as  must 
have  required  many  years'  time  for  its  formation.  Its  general  shape 
is  in  floes,  with  undulating  surfaces,  like  hills  and  valleys  of  a  rolling 
country. 

FLOEBERG. — A  palseocrystic  iceberg  differing  from  common  icebergs  in 
its  regularly  cubical  shape,  level  top  and  bottom,  strictly  perpen- 
dicular sides,  regular  lines  of  cleavage,  and  apparent  stratified  struct- 
ure. 

ICE-FOOT. — Sea-ice  which  forming  against  the  land  remains  attached  to 
it  unmoved  by  action  of  tides.  It  is  separated  from  the  main,  mov- 
able ice  by  a  tidal  crack. 

YOUNG  ICE. — Ice  recently  formed,  in  contradistinction  to  old  ice  which  is 
at  least  of  previous  winter's  formation. 


CONTENTS -VOLUME  L 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  PIONEERS  OF  SMITH  SOUND,   . 


CHAPTER  K 
INTERNATIONAL  CIRCUMPOLAR  STATIONS, 19 

CHAPTER  HI 
GREENLAND, 25 

CHAPTER  IV. 
ORGANIZATION  AND  EQUIPMENT, 36 

CHAPTER  V. 
THE  VOYAGE  TO  UPERNIVIK, 41 

CHAPTER  VL 
MELVILLE  BAY  TO  FORT  CONGER, 56 

CHAPTER  VH 
THE  RETURN  OF  THE  PROTEUS,      . 80 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

FORT  CONGER,       .....  .....     87 

CHAPTER  IX. 
AUTUMN  SLEDGING,     ...  .....     95 

CHAPTER  X. 
SUNLIGHT  TO  DARKNESS,  ......        ...  115 

CHAPTER  XL 
OUR  SCIENTIFIC  OBSERVATIONS,      .......  124 

• 
CHAPTER  XIL 

HYGIENE  AND  ROUTINE,     .........  134 


CHAPTER 
SLEDGING  IN  THE  ARCTIC  TWILIGHT,     ......  147 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
OUR  FIRST  DARK  DAYS,      .....        «  154 

CHAPTER  XV. 
CHRISTMAS  AND  THE  NEW  YEAR,    .......  171 

CHAPTER  XVL 
WINTER  EVENTS,  ........  .179 


CONTENTS.  Xix 

CHAPTER  XVIL 

PAGE 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  SLEDGING, 190 

CHAPTER  XVm. 
THANK  GOD  HARBOR  AND  HALL'S  GRAVE, 213 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
ESTABLISHING  DEPOTS, 227 

CHAPTER  XX. 

NORTHWARD  OVER  THE  FROZEN  SEA, 238 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
CHANDLER  FIORD, 258 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
LAKE  HAZEN, 272 

CHAPTER  XXm. 
THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.— CONGER   TO   CAPE   BRYANT,       ,        .  295 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   FARTHEST  NORTH.— CAPE   BRYANT   TO  CAPE  WASHING- 
TON,          .320 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
LOCKWOOD  ISLAND  AND  RETURN,  .  ....  336 


XX 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEE  XXVL 

PAGE 


SPRINGTIME  AND  SUMMER, 


351 


CHAPTER  XXVK 
SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS,   .... 


CHAPTEE  XXVIH. 
SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS  (Concluded),         ....  .391 

CHAPTER  XXTX. 
LAUNCH  TRIPS, 417 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

VOLUME  L 

PORTRAIT  OF  LIEUTENANT  A.   W.  GREELY,  U.S.A Frontispiece. 

ENGRAVED  ON  STEEL  BY  CHABLES  SCHLECHT. 

FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Engraved,  without  drawings,  from,  photographs  by  Sergeant  George  W.  Rice, 
Photographer  of  the  Expedition. 

Face  Page. 
ESKIMO  KAYAKEKS  OFF  THE  COAST  OF  Disco 1 

GENEKAL  VIEW  OF  GODHAVN,  GREENLAND,  FROM  ADJACENT  CLIFFS.  .    29 

MEMBERS  OF  LADY  FRANKLIN  BAY  EXPEDITION,  1881-84 40 

ICEBERGS  IN  Disco  BAY 50 

MUSK-OX  KILLED  NEAR  FORT  CONGER 104 

LAKE  ALEXANDRA,  NEAR  DISCOVERY  HARBOR,  LOOKING  WEST 122 

GAME-STAND  AT  CONGER,  WITH  BELLOT  ISLAND  IN  BACKGROUND 138 

MAKING  READY  FOR  A  SLEDGE  JOURNEY  FROM  FORT  CONGER 152 

ICE-FOOT  AND  PRESSED-UP  ICE,  CAPE  MURCHISON,  ROBESON  CHANNEL.  168 

LIEUTENANT  GREELY'S  CORNER,  AT  FORT  CONGER 180 

ARCTIC  CLOUDS  OVER  BELLOT  ISLAND 195 

"  THE  ARCTIC  HIGHWAY " — RUBBLE  AND  HUMMOCK  ICE.  .     225 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Face  Page. 
LIEUTENANT   GKEELY  AND  PARTY  STARTING  FOR  EXPLORATION  OF 

GRINNKLL  LAND,  APRIL,  1882 260 

PORTRAIT  OF  LIEUTENANT  JAMES  B.  LOCKWOOD,  U.S. A. 295 

LIEUTENANT  LOCKWOOD,  BRAINARD,  AND  CHRISTIANSEN  RETURNING 

FROM83°24  N 347 

ESKIMO  RELICS  FOUND  AT  JUNCTION  OF  RUGGLES  RIVER  AND  LAKE 

HAZEN,  JULY,  1882 406 

ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  THE  TEXT. 

(From  photographs  by  Sergeant  George  W.  Bice.) 

Page 

SANDERSON'S  HOPE 1 

(The  farthest  of  John  Davis,  1587.) 

CRYSTAL  PALACE  CLIFFS  FROM  LITTLETON  ISLAND,  WITH  CAPE  ALEX- 
ANDER AT  THE  RIGHT 5 

(Discovered  by  Admiral  Inglefield,  E.N.,  1852.) 

SITE  OF  POLARIS  HOUSE 12 

(Built  at  Life-Boat  Cove  by  Polaris  Grew,  Winter  1872-73.) 

GODTHAAB,  GREENLAND,  INTERNATIONAL  STATION,  1882-83 19 

(Farthest  point  reached  by  Davis,  1585. ) 

GREENLAND  COAST 25 

(View  near  Godhavn.) 

ARCTIC  BELLES 32 

UPERNIVIK 34 

(The  most  northerty  civilized  settlement  in  the  world.) 

ENGLISH  CAIRN,  S.  E.  CARY  ISLAND,  1875 36 

n  discovered  this  island,  1616.) 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
NATURAL  MONUMENT  NEAR  GODHAVN 42 

SERGEANT  RICE  AND  GREENLAND  ESKIMO 53 

TASIUSAK 54 

(The  most  nortlierly  settlement  of  Danish  Eskimo.) 

UPERNIVIK  AT  MIDNIGHT 56 

CAPE  YORK 58 

"  AN  ILAND  WE  CALLED  HAKLUIT'S  ILE.  '' 62 

(Baffin's  Farthest  Land,  July  4,  1616.) 

PORT  FOULKE 66 

(Winter-quarters  of  Dr.  Hayes,  1860-61.) 

WASHINGTON  IRVING  ISLAND 70 

(Opposite  Cape  Hawks.) 

NARWHAL  SKULL 76 

(SJiowing  abnormal  developments  of  tooth  in  left  side,  upper  jaw.) 

ESKIMO  BOYS  FISHING 79 

THE  PROTEUS  IN  DISCOVERY  HARBOR 80 

PROTEUS  FIRST  STOPPED  BY  ICE 83 

PLAN  OP  HOUSE  AT  FORT  CONGER 90 

AN  ARCTIC  BROOK 92 

ENTRANCE  TO  BELLOWS  VALLEY,  OCTOBER,  1881 107 

(Northeastern  side,  near  Bleak  Cape.) 

SUNLIGHT  TO  DARKNESS 115 

OBSERVER  MAKING  TEMPERATURE  OBSERVATIONS  AT  FORT  CONGER.  .  126 

THE  FROG 133 

(Afloeberg  in  Robeson  Channel,  May,  1882.) 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
LUNAR  HALO  AT  FORT  CONGER,  FEBRUARY  1,  1882 187 

HUDSON  BAY  SLEDGE  PATTERN  196 

(From  a  pJwtograph  by  Relief  Expedition,  1884.) 

HUNT'S  ST.  MICHAEL  SLEDGE 199 

(From  a  photograph  by  Belief  Expedition,  1884.) 

GREENLAND  DOG  SLEDGE 200 

ANCIENT  ESKIMO  SLEDGE— FOUND  AT  CAPE  BAIRD,  81°  30'  N 201 

THREE-MAN  BUFFALO  SLEEPING-BAG 212 

GREENLAND  COAST  FROM  CAPE  BEECHY 216 

DEVIL'S  HEAD  (THE  BELLOWS  VALLEY),  JUNE,  1882 237 

DR.  PAVY'S  PARTY  STARTING  NORTH,  MARCH  19,  1882 240 

DR.  PAVY  AND  JENS  SKINNING  SEAL  AT  CONGER 256 

CHANDLER  FIORD  LOOKING  EAST  FROM  CAMP  3 265 

HENRIETTA  NESMITH  GLACIER 284 

(Showing  eastern  edge  crowding  against  the  mountains.) 

ICEBERGS 294 

AN  ARCTIC  WOLF  KILLED  NEAR  FORT  CONGER 303 

STEPHENSON  ISLAND  FROM  CAPE  BRITANNIA 323 

(From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.) 

BEAUMONT  ISLAND  FROM  CAPE  BRITANNIA 337 

(From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.) 

LOOKING  INTO  CHIPP  INLET 330 

(From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.) 

CAPE  ALEXANDER  RAMSAY 333 

(From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.) 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS.  XXV 

Page 
ELISON  ISLAND 340 

(From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.) 

FACSIMILE  OF  LIEUTENANT  BEAUMONT'S  RECORD 345 

LONG  AND  WHISLEK  RETURNING  FROM  ARCHER  FIORD,  MAY,  1882 354 

COAL  SEAM  SHOWING  ABOVE  WATERCOURSE  CREEK 357 

DECORATION  DAY  AT  CONGER,  1882 359 

MUSK  CALVES  AT  CONGER,  FOUR  MONTHS  OLD 363 

BIFURCATION  CAPE,  SEPARATING  BELLOWS  AND  BLACK  ROCK  VALLEYS  368 

PLAN  OF  ANCIENT  ESKIMO  HOUSE 381 

ESKIMO  STONE  LAMP,  FOUND  NEAR  CAPE  BAIRD,  81°  30'  N 420 

CHANDLER  FIORD  LOOKING  WESTWARD,  IDA  BAY  TO  EXTREME  LEFT  424 


LIST  OF  MAPS. 

Face  Page. 
ARCTIC   REGIONS,  SHOWING   LOCATION  OF  CIRCUMPOLAR  STATIONS, 

1881-83 23 

FORT  CONGER  AND  VICINITY 87 

EXPLORATIONS  BY  LIEUTENANT  J.  B.  LOCKWOOD,  U.S.A.,  1882 304 

DISCOVERIES  MADE  IN  NORTH  GREENLAND  BY  LIEUTENANT  J.  B. 

LOCKWOOD,  U.S.A 325 

DISCOVERIES  IN  GRINNELL  LAND  MADE  BY  LDSUTENANT  A.  W.  GREE- 

LY,  U.S.A 391 


ESKIMO   KAYAKEKS  OFF   TUB   COAST   OF  DISCO. 
( From  a  photograph. . ) 


Sanderson's  Hope. 
[The  farthest  of  John  Dacte,  1587. J 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE    PIONEERS    OF    SMITH    SOUND. 

FUST  three  centuries  ago,  on  a  fair  day  of  June,  1585,  two 
tiny  craft  sailed  from  Dartmouth  in  quest  of  the  North- 
west Passage.  They  were  commanded  by  a  brave  man,  a  dar- 
ing explorer  and  skilful  seaman,  John  Davis,  of  Sandridge. 

This  venturesome  voyage  of  one  of  England's  most  distin- 
guished seamen  resulted  in  the  rediscovery  of  Greenland,  and 
may  be  said  to  have  opened  the  Smith  Sound  route  to  the 
Pole. 

Davis  sighted  Greenland  July  20th.  He  well  describes  it  as 
a  "  land  being  very  high  and  full  of  mightie  mountaines  all 
covered  with  snowe,  no  viewe  of  wood,  grasse  or  earth  to  be 
scene,  and  the  shore  two  leagues  off  into  the  sea  full  of  yce. 
The  lothsorae  view  of  the  shore,  and  irksome  noyse  of  the  yce 


2  .THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

was  such  that,  it  bred  strange  conceites  among  us."  On  July 
29th  he  was  off  the  west  coast,  near  Godthaab,  having  "  past 
al  the  yce  and  found  many  greene  and  pleasant  Isles  bordering 
upon  the  shore." 

Crossing  the  strait  which  now  bears  his  name,  Davis  reached 
Cape  Dyer,  and  later  sailed  nearly  to  the  head  of  Cumberland 
Sound.  He  returned  to  Dartmouth  September  30th. 

In  1586  and  1587  he  visited  Davis  Strait,  and  in  the  latter 
year  reached,  on  the  western  coast  of  Greenland,  latitude  72° 
41'  N".,  about  fifty  miles  south  of  Upernivik. 

Davis'  discoveries  were  remarkable.  They  covered  the 
west  coast  of  Greenland  from  Cape  Farewell  to  Sanderson's 
Hope,  and,  on  the  American  side,  from  Cape  Dyer,  Cumber- 
land Island,  to  Southern  Labrador. 

His  descriptions  of  the  Greenlanders  are  quaint,  curious,  and 
instructive,  showing  them  to  have  been,  three  centuries  ago,  the 
same  "  tractable  people  void  of  craft  or  double  dealing"  as  we 
know  them  to  be  at  the  present  time. 

Davis  was  followed  by  another  able  seaman  and  great  dis- 
coverer, William  Baffin,  who,  in  the  Discovery,  a  craft  of  only 
fifty-five  tons,  sailed,  March  26,  1616,  from  Gravesend.  He 
sighted  Greenland,  May  14th,  and  on  the  30th  of  that  month 
had  reached  Davis'  farthest  point,  Sanderson's  Hope,  in 
72°  41'  N.  June  9th  he  was  stopped  by  ice  at  Baffin  Isl- 
ands, 73°  54'  N.  Leaving  his  anchorage,  June  18th,  he  took 
what  is  known  as  the  "  Middle  Passage  "  across  Melville  Bay, 
and  reached,  July  1st,  an  open  sea — the  "  North  Water  "  of 
the  whalers  of  to-day.  Passing  Capes  York,  Atholl,  and  Parry, 
he  yet  pushed  northward,  and  on  July  5th  attained  his  farthest 
point,  within  sight  of  Cape  Alexander.  His  latitude,  about  77° 
45'  N.,  remained  unequalled  in  that  sea  for  236  years.  Baffin, 
in  quaint  language,  says  he  was  forced  by  ice  "  to  stand  backe 


THE   PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  3 

some  eight  leagues  to  an  iland  we  called  Hakluits  He— it 
lyeth  betweene  two  great  Sounds,  the  one  Whale  Sound,  and 
the  other  Sir  Thomas  Smith's  Sound  ;  this  last  runneth  to 
the  north  of  78°,  and  is  admirable  in  one  respect,  because  in 
it  is  the  greatest  variation  of  the  compasse  of  any  part  of  the 
world  known ;  for  by  divers  good  observations  I  found  it  to 
be  above  five  points,  or  56  degrees  varied  to  the  westward." 

A  few  days  later  Baffin  turned  southward,  having  in  this 
wonderful  voyage  sailed  over  three  hundred  miles  farther 
north  than  his  predecessor,  Davis.  He  thus  added  to  geo- 
graphical knowledge  Ellesmere  and  Prudhoe  Lands,  and  Baffin 
Bay,  with  its  outlying  sounds  of  Smith,  Jones,  and  Lancaster. 

Sixteen  hundred  and  sixteen  was  evidently  a  good  year  for 
ice-navigation,  as  Baffin's  time  to  Cape  York,  in  his  tiny  sailing 
craft,  has  not  been  greatly  surpassed  by  the  powerful  steam- 
ers of  to-day.  In  1871,  Captain  William  Adams,  the  veteran 
whaler,  reached  the  "  North  Water  "  June  3d,  and  rounded 
Gary  Islands  to  the  north  on  the  7th.  The  Arctic,  under 
Captain  Adams,  reached  Cape  York  June  9,  1873,  and  in  1883 
several  whalers  were  off  that  point  by  June  3d.  In  1884  the 
Relief  Squadron  and  three  whalers  entered  the  "  North  Water  " 
June  18th.  They  had  been  stopped  by  ice  on  the  4th,  near  the 
same  point  where  Baffin  had  been  similarly  delayed,  June  9, 
1616,  in  the  Discovery. 

For  two  centuries  the  waters  first  navigated  by  Baffin  re- 
mained unvexed  by  any  keel,  and  the  very  credit  of  his  dis- 
coveries passed  away.  In  1818  Barrington,  in  "  Possibility  of 
Approaching  the  North  Pole  Asserted,"  put  forth  a  chart  with 
the  legend,  "Baffin's  Bay,  according  to  the  relation  of  W. 
Baffin,  in  1616,  but  not  now  believed."  Sir  John  Barrow,  in 
his  "  Chronological  History  of  the  Voyages  into  the  Arctic 
Regions,"  1818,  omitted  Baffin  Bay  from  his  circumpolar  chart. 


4  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

The  same  year  in  which  these  maps  appeared  (1818),  Cap- 
tain John  Ross,  commanding,  in  the  Isabella,  with  Lieutenant 
(since  Admiral)  William  Parry,  in  the  Alexander,  sailed  from 
Lei-wick,  May  3d. 

They  were  stopped  by  ice  June  17th,  just  north  of  Disco 
Island.  The  vessels  crossed  Melville  Bay  with  some  difficulty, 
and  remained  moored  to  the  land-ice  near  Bushnan  Island,  off 
Cape  York,  for  about  a  week.  On  August  9th  they  first  met 
the  natives  of  that  region,  to  whom  Ross  gave  the  name  of 
Arctic  Highlanders. 

From  the  account  of  Ross  we  learn  that  the  natives  at  that 
time  had  sledges,  dogs,  knives,  spears,  and  lances  suited  for  the 
chase  of  land  or  sea  game.  Their  iron  for  knife-blades  and 
other  purposes  was  obtained  from  meteoric  blocks  near  Cape 
York.  They  apparently  had  no  idea  of  other  people  living  to 
the  south.  Ross  pushing  on,  at  midnight  August  19th  the 
Isabella  was  in  latitude  76°  54'  X.,  the  Gary  Islands  bear- 
ing S.E.  This  was  the  most  northerly  point  reached.  He 
considered  the  sound  to  the  northward  a  closed  bay,  and  says  : 
"  Smith  Sound,  discovered  by  Baffin,  was  distinctly  seen,  and 
the  capes  forming  each  side  of  it  were  named  after  the  two 
ships,  Isabella  and  Alexander  :  I  considered  the  bottom  of  this 
sound  to  be  about  eighteen  leagues  distant."  It  is  evident  that 
the  points  seen  were  not  Capes  Isabella  and  Alexander  of  to-day, 
as  they  are  from  eighty  to  ninety  miles  distant  from  Ross' 
position.  More  probably  he  sighted  Capes  Faraday  and  Robert- 
son, which  correspond  better  to  the  estimated  distances.  Ross 
in  like  manner  reported  Jones  and  Lancaster  Sounds,  which  he 
cursorily  examined  later,  to  be  closed  bays.  He  returned  to 
England  in  October,  having,  with  his  well-found  ships,  accom- 
plished results  far  less  striking  and  important  than  those  wrought 
by  Baffin  with  his  frail  shallop. 


THE   PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  5 

It  is  to  Admiral  Inglefield,  R.X.,  that  the  credit  belong*  of 
first  determining  the  extent  of  Smith  Sound. 

Captain  Inglefield  left  the  Thames,  July  5,  1852,  in  the 
screw-schooner  Isabel,  one  hundred  and  forty-nine  tons,  with 
the  intention  of  searching  the  deep  inlets  of  Baffin  Bay  for  Sir 
John  Franklin's  party,  and  with  the  hope  of  setting  at  rest  the 
question  of  an  entrance  into  the  great  polar  basin  through 
Smith  Sound.  Cape  Farewell  was  sighted  on  the  30th,  and 


Crystal  Palace  Cliffs  from  Littleton  Island,  with  Cape  Alexander  at  the  right. 
[Discovered  by  Admiral  Ingtefield,  R.A".,  1852.] 

TJpernivik  reached  August  15th.  On  August  21st  the  Isabel 
was  off  Cape  York,  and  the  following  day  Captain  Inglefield 
communicated  with  Eskimo,  near  Petowik  glacier.  He  was 
convinced  that  they  had  never  before  seen  Europeans.  They 
were  clad  in  bear,  fox,  reindeer,  and  seal  skins.  Xo  European 
wares  were  found,  nor  were  any  kayaks  seen. 

At  North  Omenak  caches  of  meat  and  winter  clothing  were 
found.  In  summer  the  natives  occupy  seal-skin  tents,  and  in 
winter  an  underground  burrow.  In  Bardin  Bay  an  Eskimo 


6  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

village  was  found,  where  there  were  many  dogs  and  sledges, 
but  no  kayaks. 

At  12  P.M.  of  the  26th,  Cape  Alexander,  the  farthest  point 
seen  by  Baffin,  was  passed,  and  Inglefield  says :  "  Then  I  beheld 
the  open  sea  stretching  through  seven  points  of  the  compass 
.  .  .  bounded  on  the  east  and  west  by  distant  headlands " 
(Cape  Albert  to  the  west).  On  the  27th,  at  midday,  he  reached 
78°  21'  N.  ;  placing  the  Isabel  "  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  farther  than  had  been  reached  by  any  previous  navigator, 
of  whom  we  have  any  record." 

A  strong  northerly  gale  with  low  temperature  obliged  Ingle- 
field  to  return  southward.  Thence  he  ran  into  Jones  Sound, 
where,  on  September  1st,  he  reached  84°  10'  "W.,  76°  11'  K  He 
later  visited  Sir  Edward  Belcher's  squadron,  at  Beechy  Island, 
and  turning  homeward  remained  within  the  Arctic  circle  until 
October  12^/i.  He  reached  Stormness  November  4th. 

Sir  Francis  Beaufort  well  called  this  voyage  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  on  record.  Inglefield  laid  down  nearly  six  hundred 
miles  of  new  coast,  corrected  many  errors  of  position,  outlined 
Smith  and  penetrated  far  into  Jones  Sound,  and  brought 
back  valuable  meteorological  and  other  scientific  data. 

An  American,  Elisha  Kent  Kane,  first  passed  the  northern 
portal  of  Smith  Sound,  and  entered  the  sea  which  bears  his 
name.  Kane's  vessel,  the  Advance,  was  fitted  out  at  the  ex- 
pense of  Henry  Grinnell  and  George  Peabody.  She  left  Xevv 
York  May  30,  1853.  Fiskernaes  was  visited,  and  Hans  Hen- 
drik,  then  a  youth,  engaged  as  hunter  and  dog-driver.  Furs, 
skins,  and  dogs  were  gathered  up  at  various  points,  and  Uper- 
nivik  was  reached  July  17th.  They  passed  Cape  York  August 
4th,  and  were  off  Littleton  Island  on  the  7th.  Life-boat  Cove, 
to  the  eastward  of  the  island,  received  its  name  from  the  cache 
of  life-boat  and  provisions  there  made. 


THE   PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  7 

Kane  attempted  to  push  northward  along  the  Greenland 
coast,  but  strong  gales  and  the  heavy  floes,  with  new  ice  already 
forming,  drove  him,  August  24th,  to  the  nearest  shelter,  Van 
Rensselaer  Harbor,  in  78°  37'  N".,  70°  40'  W.  During  the 
autumn  several  caches  were  established  for  spring  travelling. 
Nearly  all  the  dogs  died  during  the  winter.  Scurvy  attacked 
the  party,  but  fortunately  no  death  occurred  among  them.  An 
unfortunate  sledge-journey,  in  March,  1854,  however,  resulted 
in  the  death  of  two  men,  and  the  maiming  by  frost  of  two 
others.  A  journey  to  the  northeast,  made  by  Kane  in  April, 
had  no  result.  Dr.  Hayes,  leaving  on  May  20th,  succeeded,  in 
twelve  days'  absence,  in  crossing  Kane  Basin,  and  reached  79° 
43'  N.,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Frazer.  Hayes  was  the  first 
explorer  to  put  foot  on  Grinnell  Land.  Morton,  on  the  Green- 
land coast,  succeeded,  June  24th,  in  scaling  the  south  side  of 
Cape  Constitution,  about  80°  35'  N.  From  an  elevation  of 
five  hundred  feet,  he  saw  open  water  as  far  north  as  eye  could 
reach,  probably  to  Cape  Lieber,  81°  32'  N.  In  other  words, 
he  found  Kennedy  Channel  open,  a  condition  which  doubtless 
occurs  nine  years  out  of  ten. 

In  July,  1854,  the  ice  not  having  broken  up  in  Yan  Rensse- 
laer Harbor,  Kane  realized  his  dangerous  position  and  attempted 
to  reach  Beechy  Island,  some  four  hundred  miles  distant,  by 
boat.  He  hoped  to  find  there  an  English  vessel,  and  to  obtain 
assistance.  He  was  forced  to  return,  having  been  unable  even 
to  reach  Cape  Parry.  On  August  28th,  Hayes  with  eight 
others,  leaving  Kane,  started  south  with  the  object  of  reaching 
Upernivik,  preferring  the  dangers  of  such  a  trip  to  a  second 
winter  in  the  ice.  After  great  suffering  they  returned  in 
December  to  the  Advance,  in  a  state  bordering  on  starvation. 
Kane  received  them  kindly,  though  Hayes's  departure  bore  to 
many  the  stamp  of  desertion.  The  second  winter  brought  re- 


8  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

newed  and  increased  scurvy,  which  left  the  party  in  a  deplor- 
able condition  as  the  spring  of  1855  approached.  The  only 
recourse  then  was  the  abandonment  of  the  brig,  and  a  boat 
journey  to  Upernivik.  The  vessel  was  formally  abandoned 
May  20th,  and  on  June  17th  Kane  launched  his  boats  in  open 
water  near  Cape  Alexander.  By  indefatigable  efforts  the  party, 
with  its  invalids,  records,  and  most  important  instruments,  had 
been  moved  over  the  intervening  eighty  miles  of  rough,  difficult 
ice.  One  man,  Ohlsen,  died  en  route,  from  an  internal  strain, 
and  was  buried  on  Littleton  Island  in  sight  of  the  cape  which 
bears  his  name.  Hans  Hendrik,  deserting,  remained  with  the 
Etah  Eskimo.  Cape  York  was  doubled  by  the  party  July  21st, 
and,  following  the  fast  ice  of  Melville  Bay,  on  August  6th  they 
reached  Upernivik. 

Kane's  search  for  Franklin  was  fruitless,  but  he  increased 
largely  our  knowledge  of  Arctic  lands.  His  physical  observa- 
tions were  more  valuable  and  complete  than  those  of  any  pre- 
ceding expedition.  He  added  to  geography  new  lands,  the 
most  northern  of  his  day,  and  made  known  to  the  world  the 
life  and  customs  of  the  Etah  Eskimo.  His  heroic  steadfast- 
ness, restless  energy,  and  manly  fortitude  did  honor  to  America, 
and  his  stirring  narrative,  unfortunately  marred  by  exaggera- 
tions, gave  a  new  impetus  to  Arctic  work,  and  doubtless  ex- 
cited in  many  a  youth  his  first  longings  for  exploration  and 
adventure. 

Dr.  I.  I.  Hayes,  Kane's  surgeon,  next  attempted  the  Smith 
Sound  route,  to  complete  its  surveys  and  reach  the  k'  open  Polar 
Sea."  He  left  Boston  in  the  schooner  United  States,  July  7, 
1860,  and  on  August  12th  reached  Upernivik,  where  he  added 
six  to  his  crew,  making  its  total  complement  twenty-one.  On 
August  25th  the  vessel  was  off  Cape  York,  and  there  Hayes 
communicated  with  the  Etah  Eskimo.  Hans  Hendrik,  who 


THE   PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  9 

five  years  previous  had  deserted  Kane  on  his  retreat,  was  hero 
added  to  the  party,  with  his  Etah  wife  and  babe.  Meeting 
near  Cape  Alexander  a  succession  of  furious  northerly  gales 
which  injured  his  vessel  and  retarded  his  progress,  Hayes  was 
obliged  to  winter  south  of  Littleton  Island,  in  Foulke  Fiord,  78° 
18'  K,  73°  W. 

During  the  winter  Hayes  lost  his  astronomer,  Sonntag,  who 
perished  on  a  sledge  trip  with  Hans  Ilendrik  in  an  attempt  to 
communicate  with  the  Eskimo  in  "Whale  Sound.  One  of  the 
Eskimo,  Peter,  deserted  his  party  and  also  perished.  In  March, 
1861,  Hayes,  with  dog-sledges,  made  a  preliminary  journey 
northward.  His  slow  progress  from  rough  ice  caused  him  to 
abandon  his  idea  of  exploring  the  Greenland  coast,  and  to  de- 
cide on  crossing  Kane  Basin  and  following  its  western  shores 
to  the  north.  Hayes  started  on  his  final  journey  with  two  dog- 
sledges,  April  3d.  A  third  sledge,  hauled  by  men,  carried  a 
boat  which  was  abandoned  at  Cairn  Point.  The  man-sledge 
was  sent  back  to  the  ship  April  28th,  from  the  middle  of  Kane 
Basin.  On  May  llth,  Hayes  with  the  dog-sledges  reached 
Cape  Hawks,  about  seventy  miles  from  his  ship.  Thirty-eight 
days  had  been  occupied  in  making  that  distance,  yet  he  claims 
to  have  reached  Cape  Lieber,  about  one  hundred  and  seventy 
miles  beyond  Hawks,  six  days  later. 

It  is  a  thankless  and  ungracious  task  to  criticise  our  predeces- 
sors in  exploration.  They  are  men  who  have  struggled  and 
suffered  under  the  same  trying  and  adverse  circumstances  as 
ourselves,  and  we  appreciate  their  labors  and  dangers  accurately. 
But  at  times  adverse  criticism  is  necessary  in  the  interests  of 
truth  and  history.  Unfortunately  no  experienced,  nay  inex- 
perienced critic,  who  has  compared  his  narrative  with  his  astro- 
nomical and  meteorological  records,  can  so  reconcile  them  as  to 
substantiate  Hayes's  claim  to  have  reached,  with  Knorr,  Cape 


10  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Lieber,  May  18th,  19th,  1861.  The  topography  of  Lieber  is  in- 
correct, its  latitude  two  and  a  half  miles  in  error,  and  its  longi- 
tude six  degrees  to  the  westward  of  the  true  position.  No  cairn 
exists  at  Lieber,  and  Hayes's  picture  of  that  headland  bears  a 
striking  resemblance  to  a  sketch  of  Cape  Joseph  Goode,  made 
by  Sergeant  Gardiner  of  my  party. 

Sir  George  Nares  has  pointed  out  that  Cape  Frazer  is  placed 
ten  miles  too  far  north  by  Hayes,  and  that  the  latitude  of  other 
places  are  similarly  erroneous. 

Hayes's  ship  broke  out  of  Foulke  Fiord  July  10th,  and  the 
solid  ice  of  Kane  Basin  barring  his  progress  northward,  he 
crossed  Smith  Sound  and  examined  its  west  coast  from  Cape 
Sabine  southward  to  Isabella. 

It  was  thus  his  good  fortune  to  have  been  the  first  known 
civilized  man  *  to  tread  the  new  lands  of  Ellesmere  and  Grin- 
nell.  Turning  southward,  he  reached  Boston  that  autumn  and 
supplemented  his  Arctic  career  as  an  explorer  by  good  service 
as  a  surgeon  during  the  late  civil  war. 

The  next  expedition  to  enter  Smith  Sound  was  commanded 
by  Charles  F.  Hall,  in  the  Polaris.  She  left  New  York 
June  29,  1871,  with  a  complement  of  twenty-three  souls,  which 
was  subsequently  increased  in  Greenland  to  thirty-three.  The 
object  of  the  expedition  was  to  reach  the  North  Pole.  The 
United  States  Steamship  Congress  was  sent  as  far  as  God- 
havn  as  a  supply-vessel.  The  Polaris  left  Godhavn,  August 
17th,  and  Tasiusak  the  24th.  Melville  Bay  was  crossed  in 
thirty-four  hours,  and  the  Polaris  was  first  stopped  by  ice 
off  Hakluyt  Island.  Smith  Sound  was  found  open,  and  the 
voyage  northward  was  delayed  only  by  occasional  detours  west- 
ward to  avoid  the  main  pack.  Kennedy  Channel  was  navigated 

*  Baffin  landed  in  1616  at  Joues  Sound,  but  it  is  uncertain  whether  on  North 
Devon,  Coburg  Island,  or  Ellesinere  Land. 


THE   PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  11 

without  trouble,  except  from  fog.  The  Polar  Ocean  was  reached 
on  the  morning  of  August  31st ;  latitude  82°  11'  to  the  north- 
westward of  Repulse  Harbor. 

Returning  southward  the  Polaris  anchored  in  Thank  God 
Harbor,  where  she  wintered.  Hall  with  two  dog-sledges  reached 
Cape  Brevoort  in  October,  but  died  of  apoplexy  shortly  after 
his  return,  on  November  8th.  Hall's  death  proved  fatal  to  fur- 
ther advance.  The  winter  was  passed  without  disease  or  serious 
discomfort.  Robeson  Channel  remained  open  throughout  the 
winter.  In  the  spring  of  1872  Dr.  Bessels  and  Mr.  Bryan  partly 
explored  Petermann's  Fiord  and  surveyed  the  coast  as  far  south 
as  Cape  Bryan.  Chester  and  Tyson,  in  June,  attempted  boat 
journeys  northward,  but  reached  only  as  far  as  Cape  Sumner  ; 
from  which  point  Sergeant  Meyer,  of  the  Signal  Service,  visited 
Repulse  Harbor,  reaching  82°  9',  the  highest  latitude  to  that 
time  attained  on  land.  Captain  Budington  decided  to  return 
home,  but  the  Polaris  was  unfortunately  beset  at  the  mouth  of 
Kennedy  Channel,  about  latitude  80°,  August  14th.  The  vessel 
drifted  steadily  south  in  the  pack  despite  all  efforts  to  release 
her,  and  on  October  12th  was  in  78°  28'  !N.,  not  far  from  Little- 
ton Island.  On  October  15th,  in  sight  of  Northumberland  Isl- 
and, during  a  violent  gale,  the  Polaris  was  nearly  destroyed. 

While  the  crew  were  landing  stores  upon  the  floe  the  vessel 
broke  away,  leaving  nineteen  persons  on  the  ice.  The  floe 
party,  among  whom  were  Captain  Tyson  and  Sergeant  Meyer, 
drifted  southward  that  winter  and  were  picked  up  off  the  coast 
of  Labrador  by  the  sealer  Tigress,  April  30,  1872.  For  one 
hundred  and  ninety-six  days,  eighty-three  of  which  were  with- 
out the  sun,  they  had  lived  on  ice-floes,  subject  to  great  priva- 
tions and  dangers.  They  had  drifted  in  the  meantime  over 
fifteen  hundred  miles,  and  their  escape  from  death  was  almost 
miraculous. 


12 


THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


Captain  Bndington,  who  remained  on  the  Polaris,  succeeded 
in  beaching  her  in  Life  Boat  Cove.  The  party  wintered  there, 
constructing  a  house  from  the  disabled  vessel.  They  passed  the 
winter  in  health,  and  much  to  his  credit,  Dr.  Bessels,  assisted 
by  Mr.  Bryan,  not  only  managed  to  keep  up  the  regular  scien- 
tific observations,  but  also  attempted  surveys  northward. 

Under  Mr.  Chester's  direction  two  boats  were  built,  and  on 


Site  of  Polaris  House. 
[Buitt  at  Life  Boat  Cove  by  Polaris  Crew,  Winter,  1872-73.] 

June  3,  1873,  the  party  left  Life  Boat  Cove  for  TJpernivik. 
Fortunately  they  were  met  and  rescued  by  the  whaler  Ravens- 
craig,  June  23d,  off  Cape  York. 

The  voyage  of  the  Polaris  was  most  fruitful  in  geographical 
results.  The  extension  of  Greenland  and  Grinnell  Land  north- 
ward over  a  degree  and  a  half  of  latitude,  the  charting  of  Hall 
Basin  and  Robeson  Channel,  and  the  discovery  of  the  extensive 


THE  PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  13 

frozen  sea  to  the  northward,  were  all  substantial  and  most  im- 
portant contributions  to  Arctic  geography. 

The  meteorological  observations  were  complete,  and  the  tidal 
observations  established  the  important  fact  that  the  Atlantic 
tides,  flowing  to  the  north  and  south  around  Greenland,  meet 
near  Cape  Frazer.  The  value  of  these  observations  has  been 
greatly  impaired  by  the  publication  of  erroneous  means,  result- 
ing from  the  employment  of  an  unreliable  computer.  Observa- 
tions made  with  such  care  and  under  such  difficulties  deserve  a 
better  fate.  They  should  be  computed  and  discussed  anew. 

On  May  29,  1875,  the  Alert  and  Discovery  left  Portsmouth, 
England,  under  command  of  Captain  George  Xares.  His  orders 
indicated  that  "  their  scope  and  primary  object  should  be  to  at- 
tain the  highest  northern  latitude,  and,  if  possible,  to  reach  the 
North  Pole,  and  from  winter  quarters  to  explore  the  adjacent 
coast."  The  complement  of  the  squadron  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty  officers  and  men,  supplemented  by  three  dog-drivers  ob- 
tained in  Greenland.  The  Valorous  accompanied  the  expedi- 
tion as  a  tender  as  far  as  Ritenbenk. 

On  July  22d  the  vessels  left  Upernivik,  and,  taking  the 
"  middle  passage  "  across  Melville  Bay,  Cape  York  was  reached 
three  days  later.  A  depot  of  thirty-six  hundred  rations  with  a 
whale-boat  was  left  on  the  southeast  island  of  the  Gary  group. 
Detained  three  days  in  Payer  Harbor,  a  depot  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  rations  was  cached  for  a  possible  sledge  party.  Cape 
Sabine  was  rounded  August  4th,  and  ten  days  later,  after  con- 
stant battle  with  heavy  ice,  the  vessels  reached  Dobbin  Bay. 
Thirty-six  hundred  rations  were  there  cached,  just  north  of 
Cape  Hawks. 

The  journey  northward  was  a  constant  struggle  with  immense 
floes,  but  by  improving  every  chance  afforded  by  wind  or  tide, 
the  two  ships  finally  reached  Discovery  Harbor  August  25th.  In 


14  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

that  harbor  the  reserve  ship,  Discovery,  under  Captain  Stephen- 
son,  E.  N.,  wintered  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  sub- 
sequent site  of  Ft.  Conger. 

The  Alert  pushing  northward  was  moored  August  31st  near 
Cape  Sheridan  at  Floeberg  Beach,  82°  25'  N.,  61°  30'  W.,  in 
the  highest  latitude  which  has  ever  been  reached  by  any  vessel. 
Here,  on  the  exposed  shores  of  the  Polar  Ocean,  the  Alert 
wintered.  On  the  northward  journey  one  thousand  rations 
had  been  cached  in  Lincoln  Bay. 

Several  sledging  parties  were  sent  out  by  Captain  Nares  dur- 
ing the  autumn  to  establish  other  depots  to  the  northward. 
Eight  men  of  the  parties  were  badly  frost-bitten,  three  of  whom 
suffered  amputation.  Lieutenant  Aldrich,  on  September  27th, 
reached  latitude  82°  48'  N.,  and  saw  land  reaching  to  Cape 
Columbia,  83°  7'  !N".  Aldrich  thus  surpassed  the  heretofore 
unexcelled  latitude  of  Parry,  attained  in  1827,  north  of  Spitz- 
bergen,  by  boat  and  sledge. 

The  winter  was  passed  in  health  and  comfort  by  the  crews 
of  both  vessels,  despite  the  longest  Arctic  night  and  severest 
prolonged  cold  ever  experienced  by  man. 

Communication  was  had  between  the  Alert  and  Discovery  in 
early  spring,  but  at  the  expense  of  the  life  of  Christian  Petersen, 
who  died  from  severe  frost-bites,  notwithstanding  the  heroic 
and  unselfish  exertions  of  Lieutenants  Kawson  and  Edgerton 
with  whom  he  was  making  the  journey. 

On  April  3d,  seven  sledges  manned  by  fifty  three  men  and 
officers  left  the  Alert  for  northern  exploration.  One  party,  un- 
der Commander  Markham,  was  to  push  northward  from  Cape 
Joseph  Henry  over  the  Frozen  Sea,  and  the  second,  under 
Lieutenant  Aldrich,  was  ordered  to  explore  the  north  Coast  of 
Grinnell  Land. 

Markham,  equipped  with   two  boats,  was  early  obliged  to 


THE   PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  15 

abandon  one,  and  after  indescribable  exertions  succeeded,  by 
indomitable  energy,  in  reaching  on  the  frozen  ocean  May  12, 
1876,  the  highest  latitude  to  that  time  attained.  That  point 
was  83°  20'  26''  N.,  63°  5'  W.  The  sea  was  found  to  be  seventy- 
two  fathoms  deep,  with  clay  bottom  ;  surface  temperature,  28.5°  ; 
bottom  temperature,  28.8°.  At  that  time  five  of  Markham's 
seventeen  men  were  on  the  sledges  disabled  by  scurvy.  His 
outward  journey  entailed  two  hundred  and  seventy -six  miles  of 
travel,  although  his  farthest  point  was  but  seventy-three  miles 
distant  from  the  ship.  On  the  return  journey  his  men  grew 
steadily  worse,  and  although  the  second  boat  was  abandoned 
May  27th,  yet  on  June  7th  it  was  evident  the  party  would 
perish  without  help.  Lieutenant  Parr  in  this  emergency  made 
alone  a  forced  march  of  twenty-four  hours,  and  reaching  the 
Alert,  obtained  assistance.  One  of  the  party  died,  however, 
and  eleven  others  of  the  original  seventeen  were  carried  to  the 
ship  on  relief-sledges. 

Lieutenant  Aldrich's  journey  along  the  north  coast  of  Grin- 
nell  Land  was  a  most  remarkable  one,  and  in  my  opinion  has 
never  been  duly  appreciated  by  the  general  public.  He  reached, 
May  18th,  Point  Alert,  near  Cape  Alfred  Ernest,  82°  16' 
IS".,  85°  33'  W. ;  whence,  he  says,  "  the  trend  was  gradually 
southward  and  westward."  He  had  surveyed  two  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  of  new  coast.  His  party,  also  attacked  by  scurvy, 
would  not  have  reached  the  ship  without  the  assistance  which 
carne  to  them  through  Lieutenant  May.  Only  Lieutenant 
Aldrich  and  one  man  out  of  the  eight  were  able  to  haul,  when 
met  by  the  dog-sledge. 

During  this  time,  Captain  Stephenson  of  the  Discovery  had 
parties  in  the  field.  Lieutenant  Archer,  ordered  to  explore  Lady 
Franklin  Sound,  succeeded  in  defining  its  limit,  and  reached 
the  head  of  the  Fiord,  which  now  bears  his  name. 


16  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Lieutenant  L.  A.  Beaumont  was  detailed  to  explore  the  north 
coast  of  Greenland.  He  left  the  Discovery  with  two  eight-man 
sledges,  April  6,  1876,  and  first  visiting  the  Alert,  afterward 
crossed  Eobeson  Channel  to  Repulse  Harbor.  His  supporting 
sledge  under  Dr.  Coppinger  turned  back  May  4th. 

Beaumont  reached  Cape  Bryant  May  llth,  and,  pushing  on, 
succeeded  with  one  man  in  reaching,  May  20th,  the  eastern  coast 
of  Sherard  Osborn  Fiord,  82°  20'  K".,  50°  45'  W.  Scurvy  had 
already  attacked  the  party,  and  their  return-trip  was  made  under 
most  distressing  circumstances.  To  save  their  strength  Lieu- 
tenant Beaumont  made  a  depot  at  Cape  Bryant  of  extra  rations. 

Repulse  'Harbor  was  reached  June  10th,  by  which  time  the 
party  was  in  desperate  straits,  only  Lieutenant  Beaumont  and 
Gray  being  able  to  work.  Abandoning  everything  not  abso- 
lutely indispensable,  Lieutenant  Beaumont  had  to  decide  whether 
to  cross  Robeson  Channel  to  the  Alert,  or  proceed  forty  miles 
to  Thank  God  Harbor.  He  soon  found  that  rotten  ice  and 
frequent  water-pools  forbade  his  crossing  Robeson  Channel,  and 
with  but  little  hope  he  turned  his  face  southward.  Struggling 
on  with  failing  strength,  his  party  was  saved  by  the  advent  of 
Lieutenant  Rawson  and  Dr.  Coppinger,  June  24th,  who  assisted 
them  to  Thank  God  Harbor,  which  was  reached  July  1st.  Two 
men,  Paul  and  Hand,  died  and  were  buried  near  Captain  Hall. 
Lieutenant  Beaumont  after  the  recuperation  of  his  party,  crossed 
Robeson  Channel  by  boat  and  sledge  with  great  difficulty, 
reaching  Cape  Baird  August  12th. 

In  the  meantime,  Captain  Nares  had  decided  in  July  to  re- 
turn to  England,  mainly  on  account  of  scurvy,  of  which  thirty- 
six  cases  had  occurred  on  the  Alert  alone.  In  addition  to  the 
break-down  of  his  sledge-parties  from  this  disease,  he  was  con- 
vinced of  the  impracticability  of  successful  navigation  in  the 
Polar  Sea,  and.  from  the  lack  of  land  to  the  northward,  equally 


THE  PIONEERS   OF   SMITH   SOUND.  17 

doubtful  of  sledge- journey s  over  the  frozen  sea  toward  the  Pole. 
The  Alert  left  Floeberg  Beach  July  31, 1876,  and  through  dar- 
ing seamanship  succeeded  in  retracing  her  course  down  Robeson 
Channel,  without  receiving  serious  injury. 

Both  ships  rounded  Cape  Lieber  August  20th,  and  ten  days 
later  were  in  Dobbin  Bay.  In  their  passage  southward  the 
sledging  depots  at  Joe  Island,  Capes  Collinson  and  Sabine, 
as  well  as  the  larger  depots  at  Lincoln  Bay  and  S.E.  Cary 
Island  were  left  untouched.  A  large  portion  of  the  Cape 
Hawks  depot  was  re-embarked  during  an  enforced  delay.  The 
voyage  from  Kennedy  Channel  southward  was  difficult,  tedious, 
and  dangerous,  but  finally  on  September  9th  both  vessels 
reached  the  open  sea,  off  Bache  Island,  and  recrossed  the  Arctic 
circle  October  4th. 

This  expedition,  costing  three-quarters  of  a  million,  com- 
manded by  an  officer  of  Arctic  experience, — one  of  the  finest 
seamen  in  her  Majesty's  service, — composed  of  picked  officers 
and  men  from  the  English  iNavy,  fitted  out  under  the  advice  of 
Arctic  veterans,  thoroughly  and  efficiently  equipped,  withstood 
the  experiences  and  privations  incident  to  Arctic  life  and  ex- 
plorations but  a  single  year. 

They  had,  however,  explored  Archer's  Fiord,  outlined  the 
entire  northern  coast  of  Grinnell  Land,  added  nearly  a  hundred 
miles  to  the  Greenland  coast,  pushed  an  English  vessel  into  the 
highest  known  latitude,  and  planted  the  Union  Jack  both  on 
land  and  sea  nearer  the  Pole  than  ever  before.  They  brought 
back  an  elaborate  set  of  tidal,  magnetic,  and  meteorological  ob- 
servations, which  are  valuable  contributions  to  the  physical 
sciences.  They  charted  Greenland  and  Grinnell  Land  with  re- 
markable exactitude,  and  depicted  the  circumstances  of  their 
sufferings  and  experiences  in  narratives  which  are  notable  both 
for  their  modesty  and  accuracy. 


18  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

My  own  experiences  regarding  Arctic  service  somewhat  re- 
semble those  of  Payer.  He  relates:  "In  the  year  1868, 
while  employed  on  the  survey  of  the  Orteler  Alps,  a  news- 
paper with  an  account  of  Koldewey's  first  expedition  one  day 
found  its  way  into  my  tent  on  the  mountainside.  In  the  even- 
ing I  held  forth  on  the  North  Pole  to  the  herdsmen  and  Jdgers 
of  my  party  as  we  sat  around  the  fire,  no  one  filled  with  more 
astonishment  than  myself,  that  there  should  be  men  endued 
with  such  capacity  to  endure  cold  and  darkness.  No  presenti- 
ment had  I  then  that  the  very  next  year  I  should  myself  have 
joined  an  expedition  to  the  North  Pole ;  and  as  little  could 
Haller,  one  of  my  Jdgers  at  that  time,  foresee  that  he  would 
accompany  me  on  my  third  expedition." 

Surprised,  as  all  the  world,  at  their  return,  I  read  one  day 
in  London  that  the  Arctic  squadron  had  reached  the  Irish 
coast,  and  with  all  England  I  was  absorbed  in  the  story  they 
had  to  tell.  It  had  then  for  me  a  deep,  although  impersonal, 
interest,  but  never  in  my  wildest  fancies  did  I  picture  myself  as 
one  of  the  next  expedition  which  should  sail  northward  be- 
tween the  "  Pillars  of  Hercules  "  into  the  "  Unknown  Regions." 


Godthaab,  Greenland.     International  Station,  1882-83. 
[Farthest  point  reached  by  Davis,  1585. J 


CHAPTER   II. 

INTERNATIONAL    CIRCUMPOLAR    STATIONS. 

rilHE  establishment  of  the  International  Circumpolar  Sta- 
tions  was  due  to  the  exertions  of  Lieutenant  Charles 
Weyprecht,  Austrian  Xavy.  "Weyprecht  was  born  in  Hesse- 
Darmstadt  in  1838.  Entering  the  Austrian  Navy  at  eighteen, 
he  was  decorated  and  promoted  for  gallantry  in  the  naval  action 
of  Lissa,  July,  1866.  Prevented  by  ill-health  from  serving  in 
the  German  Polar  Expedition  of  1868,  he  began  his  Arctic  career 
with  Payer  in  1871.  That  year,  in  the  Isjborn,  he  opened  up 
Barentz  Sea  to  future  explorers,  reaching,  in  his  small  sailing 
vessel,  latitude  78°  45'  IS".,  longitude  41°  E.,  a  point  two  and 
one-half  degrees  north  of  JNova  Zembla. 

In  1872,  with  Payer  again  as  an  associate,  "Weyprecht  entered 
the  Arctic  circle  in  command  of  the  Tegetthoff,  which  had  been 


20  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

fitted  out  by  the  Austro-IIungarian  Government,  and  Count 
Wilczek,  for  the  purpose  of  Arctic  exploration  in  the  direction 
of  the  northeast  passage.  Beset  the  first  day  after  leaving  Nova 
Zembla  in  76°  22'  N.,  the  vessel  drifted  the  ensuing  year  over 
three  degrees  northward  to  the  southern  shore  of  a  new  land. 
This  new  Arctic  domain,  Franz  Josef  Land,  was  partly  explored 
by  Lieutenant  Julius  Payer  and  found  to  extend  at  least  from 
80°  to  83°  K  and  from  50°  to  63°  W. 

Despairing  of  release  from  the  pack,  Weyprecht,  after  a  sec- 
ond winter's  imprisonment,  abandoned  the  Tegetthoff,  May  20, 
1874,  and  conducted  his  party  safely  by  sledge  and  boat  to  the 
west  coast  of  Nova  Zembla,  where  he  fell  in  with  Russian  fish- 
ing-vessels. They  reached  Vardo  September  3,  1874. 

Undismayed  by  his  hardships,  but  profiting  by  his  experi- 
ences, Weyprecht,  at  the  meeting  of  the  German  Scientific  and 
Medical  Association,  at  Gratz,  in  September,  1S75,  presented  a 
plea  for  systematic  polar  exploration  and  research.  He  pro- 
posed that  scientific  investigations,  heretofore  subordinated  to 
geographical  discovery,  be  now  made  the  primary  object. 

Insisting  on  the  great  importance  of  Arctic  exploration  to  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  nature,  he  pointed  out  that 
minute  topography  was  comparatively  unimportant,  and  that 
geographical  discoveries  were  of  marked  value  only  when  they 
extended  the  fields  for  scientific  inquiry.  Observation  stations, 
he  said,  should  be  chosen,  particularly  with  reference  to  the  sub- 
ject to  be  investigated,  and  the  series  of  observations  should  be 
continuous  and  unbroken. 

A  Commission,  comprising  some  of  Germany's  most  eminent 
scientific  men,  was  appointed  by  Prince  Bismarck  to  consider 
the  question.  The  Commission  strongly  commended  the  plan 
to  the  Bundesrath  and  to  all  interested  nations.  It  expressed 
its  convictions  as  to  the  great  value  of  the  work,  and  its  opinion 


INTERNATIONAL   CIRCUMPOLAR   STATIONS.  21 

that  the  united  action  of  several  countries  was  essential  to  a 
complete  solution  of  the  problems  involved. 

In  May,  1877,  Count  Wilczek  and  Weyprecht  drew  up  a 
plan  for  the  work,  but  the  Turko-Russian  war  prevented  the 
meeting  of  the  International  Meteorological  Congress  to  which 
it  was  to  be  presented.  The  Congress  finally  met  at  Rome, 
April  22,  1879. 

The  Conference  was  of  the  "  opinion  that  these  observations 
will  be  of  the  highest  importance  in  developing  meteorology 
and  in  extending  our  knowledge  of  terrestrial  magnetism."  It 
recommended  general  participation,  and  called  an  International 
Polar  Conference,  which  met  at  Hamburg,  October  1,  1879. 
Eight  countries  sent  delegates  and  three  sent  communications 
favoring  the  project.  Dr.  Neumayer  was  elected  President. 
Twelve  stations  (four  in  the  Antarctic  regions)  were  agreed  on, 
one  of  which  was  to  be  in  the  Archipelago  of  North  America. 
Rules  for  obligatory  and  optional  observations  were  formulated. 
An  agreement  was  made  that  no  nation  should  be  bound  until 
eight  stations  should  be  guaranteed. 

The  second  Conference  met  at  Berne,  August  7,  1880,  and 
Professor  "Wild  was  elected  President,  vice  Neumayer  resigned. 
Nine  nations,  Austria— Hungary,  Denmark,  France,  Germany, 
Italy,  Netherlands,  Norway,  Russia,  and  Sweden,  sent  delegates. 
The  Conference  adhered  to  its  previous  decision  regarding  the 
general  principles  and  details  of  the  plan.  Sufficient  progress 
had  been  made  to  justify  the  expectation  of  enough  nations 
participating  to  ultimately  make  the  scheme  successful.  Its 
execution,  however,  was  deferred  until  1882-83. 

In  the  meantime,  Captain  Howgate,  United  States  Army, 
had  especially  interested  himself  in  Arctic  matters,  and  in  1877 
sent  to  Cumberland  Gulf  the  schooner  Florence  with  the  view 
of  collecting  dogs,  skin- clothing,  etc.,  for  a  projected  colony  at 


22  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Lady  Franklin  Bay.  Failing  in  his  direct  plan  for  a  polai 
colony,  Captain  Howgate  succeeded  in  having  Lady  Franklin 
Bay  designated  as  the  point  in  the  Archipelago  of  Korth  Amer- 
ica which  was  to  be  occupied  by  the  United  States  Signal  Ser- 
vice as  a  polar  station. 

The  importance  of  Lady  Franklin  Bay  as  a  station  was 
undeniable,  as  comparable  observations  in  meteorology  and 
magnetism  would  thus  be  obtained.  Captain  Howgate's 
indefatigable  exertions  finally  resulted  in  the  Act  of  Congress, 
approved  May  1,  1880,  which  authorized  the  establishment 
of  a  temporary  station  at  Lady  Franklin  Bay  for  scientific 
observation,  etc.,  and  provided  for  the  acceptance  and  fitting 
out  for  such  work  of  the  steamship  Gulnare,  which  he  had 
purchased. 

Lieutenants  Greely,  Doane,  and  Lowe,  United  States  Army, 
were  detailed  for  duty  in  this  service,  and  Dr.  Octave  Pavy 
employed  as  surgeon.  The  expedition  was  to  carry  out  the 
programme  outlined  by  the  Hamburg  Polar  Conference.  The 
refusal  of  the  Xavy  Department  to  accept  the  Gulnare  for  the 
work  caused  Lieutenant  Greely  to  decline  the  command  of  the 
expedition,  but  the  others  proceeded  to  Disco,  whence  the 
Guluare  returned  disabled  leaving  Dr.  Pavy  in  Greenland. 

Dr.  Wild,  President  of  the  International  Polar  Commission, 
in  September,  1880,  informed  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  that  two 
stations  were  yet  lacking — Point  Barrow  and  "some  point  in 
the  Archipelago  of  North  America."  The  Sundry  Civil  Bill  of 
March  3,  1881,  appropriated  $25,000  for  the  station  at  Lady 
Franklin  Bay,  already  authorized  by  Congress.  General  "W.  B. 
Hazen  had  in  the  meantime  become  Chief  Signal  Officer,  and, 
impressed  with  the  scientific  importance  of  the  work  and  the 
propriety  of  the  United  States  doing  its  part,  not  only  took  a 
personal  and  active  interest  in  the  international  station  of  Lady 


Arctic  Regions,   Showing  Location  of  Circumpolar  Stations,  1881-83. 


INTERNATIONAL   CIRCUM POLAR  STATIONS. 


23 


Franklin  Bay,  but  also  established  independently  the  second 
station,  in  a  much  lower  latitude,  at  Point  Barrow. 

Eventually  fourteen  stations  were  established  as  follows : 


Government. 

Station. 

Latitude. 

Longitude. 

Chief. 

Austria  —  Hungary 
Denmark  

Jan  Mayen, 
Godthaab, 

70°  SiX  N. 
64°11'N. 

8°  28'W. 
51°  40'  W. 

Lieut.  Emil  von  Wohlgemuth. 
Asst.  A.  F.  W  Paulsen 

Finland  

Sodankyla, 

67°  24'  N. 

2C°  StX  E. 

Prance    

j  Orange  Bay, 

Germany  

1  Cape  Horn, 
j  Kingawa  Fiord, 

55°  31'  S. 

70°  21'  W. 

Lieut.  Courcelle-SeneuiL 

Germany  

j  Royal  Bay, 

67°  14'  W. 

Dr.  W.  Giese. 

Great  Britain  and 
Canada  

"j  S.  Georgian  Islands, 
Ft.  Rae, 

53°  31'  S. 

<!2°  3y  N. 

36°  f/     W. 
115°  44'  W. 

Dr.  C.  Schrader. 
Capt.  H.  P.  Dawson,  R.A. 

Holland  

Dicksonhaven  , 

73°  30'  N. 

81°  E. 

Dr.  M.  Snellen. 

Norway  

Bossekop, 

6!)"  56'  N. 

23°  E. 

Asst.  A.  S.  Steen. 

Russia  

73°  23'  N. 

126°  35'  E. 

Russia  ...  . 

j  Nova  Zembla, 

Sweden  

j  Little  Karmakuli, 
Spitzbergen, 

*72°  30'  N. 

78°  28'  N. 

53°  E. 
15°  45'  E. 

Lieut.  Andrejew. 
Candidate  N.  Ekholm. 

United  States  
United  States  

Point  Barrow, 
Lady  Franklin  Bay, 

71°18'N. 
81°44'N. 

156°  24'  W. 
64«  45'  W. 

Lieut.  P.  H.  Ray,  8th  Int 
Lieut.  A.  W.  Greely,  5th  Cav; 

*  Estimated. 


To  these  stations  should  be  added  the  Danish  exploring 
steamer  Dijmphna,  Lieutenant  A.  P.  Hovgaard,  which,  beset 
by  the  pack,  wintered  in  the  Kara  Sea  about  71°  N.,  64°  E. 

Many  great  observatories  in  lower  latitudes  co-operated  with 
the  Polar  stations,  and  other  important  points  were  occupied, 
which  raised  the  number  of  stations  observing  in  concert  to 
over  forty.  Among  the  auxiliary  stations  may  be  mentioned 
Pola,  Munich,  Utrecht,  Moncalieri,  Yelletri,  Peking,  Tiflis, 
Pavlosk  (St.  Petersburg),  Zi-ka-Wei  (Shanghai),  Taskend,  Xer- 
tschinsk,  Moscow,  Coimbra,  Los  Angeles,  Stonyhurst,  Naples, 
Bio  Janeiro,  Bombay,  and  Upsala. 

In  the  establishment  and  relief  of  these  stations  some  seven 
hundred  men  incurred  dangers  incident  to  all  Arctic  service, 
but  such  has  been  the  improvement  in  Arctic  equipment  that 
save  in  the  case  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  expedition  no  man 
perished. 


24  THREE  YEARS   OP  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

The  scientific  work  of  each  expedition  was  to  a  greater  or 
lesser  extent  successful.  Weyprecht  died,  but  the  work  he 
planned  was  carried  on  and  is  finished.  Progress  in  the  devel- 
opment of  physical  sciences  and  the  discovery  of  new  laws 
largely  proceeds  from  tentative  efforts.  The  scientific  work  of 
these  stations  must  be  justly  measured  by  the  final  result.  Geod- 
esy, meteorology,  and  magnetism  may,  or  may  not,  profit  as  fully 
as  sanguine  advocates  anticipated.  Be  that  as  it  may  the  work 
of  the  International  Polar  Commission  will  live  in  history  as  a 
great  one,  if  only  as  an  epoch  in  modern  civilization  marked 
by  the  union  of  eleven  great  nations  in  planning  and  executing 
for  strictly  scientific  purposes  so  extensive  and  dangerous  a 
work. 


Greenland  Coast. 
[View  near  Godfiavn.] 

CHAPTER  III. 

GREENLAND. 

A  N  account  of  explorations  in  Smith  Sound  would  be  incom- 
"^^  plete  without  a  brief  description  of  Greenland.  Vague 
and  indefinite  ideas  regarding  that  country  prevail,  even  among 
intelligent  classes,  and  many  know  it  only  as  depicted  in  Heber's 
celebrated  hymn. 

The  materials  of  this  account  have  been  drawn  partly  from 
the  standard  works  of  Crantz  and  Rink,  although  other  author- 
ities have  been  freely  consulted. 

The  contour  of  Greenland  is  that  of  an  irregular  lozenge,  over 
fourteen  hundred  miles  long  and  some  nine  hundred  miles  wide. 
Its  greatest  width  closely  coincides  with  the  78th  parallel, 
from  Cape  Bismarck,  of  Ivoldewey,  westward  to  Cape  Alex- 
ander. Cape  Farewell  at  its  southern  extremity,  seven  degrees 
south  of  the  Arctic  circle,  is  nearly  on  the  same  meridian  as 
Cape  "Washington,  six  degrees  south  of  the  Pole. 


26  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Greenland  might  well  be  called  the  glacial  continent,  as  fully 
three-fourths  of  its  known  area  are  covered  by  an  eternal  ice- 
cap, known  as  the  inland  ice. 

Much  discussion  has  been  had  as  to  the  real  extent  of  this 
ice  and  the  exact  conditions  of  the  interior  of  Greenland.  Ke- 
peated  attempts  have  been  made  to  penetrate  its  frozen  waste, 
none  of  which  were  very  successful  until  1883.  Keilson  in 
1830  reached  a  point  eighty  miles  from  Holstenborg.  Baron 
Nordenskiold,  the  most  famous  Arctic  explorer  of  the  age,  in 
1870,  reached  a  point  about  twenty-two  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea,  about  68°  22'  N.',  49°  "W.  "  The  inland  ice  continued  to 
rise  toward  the  interior,"  he  says,  "  so  that  the  horizon  to  the 
east,  north,  and  south  was  terminated  by  an  ice-border  almost 
as  smooth  as  that  of  the  ocean."  In  1883  Nordenskiold  him- 
self  succeeded  in  reaching  a  point  eighty  miles  from  the  edge 
of  the  ice,  and  his  Lapps  pushed  on  one  hundred  and  thirty 
miles  beyond,  their  farthest  being  about  69°  30'  K,  40°  W. 
The  ice,  then  over  six  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  still  arose 
gradually  toward  the  east,  but  no  peaks  were  visible.  The  con- 
tinent had  been  crossed  more  than  half  way  to  the  east  coast 
without  any  change  in  the  ice-cap  being  noted,  or  its  summit 
attained.  The  inland  ice  is  of  an  unknown  thickness,  but  Dr. 
Brown  says  from  one  thousand  to  three  thousand  feet  is  not 
uncommon. 

The  east  coast  swept  by  the  Spitzbergen  ice-stream  is  but  lit- 
tle known,  despite  the  fact  that  for  over  two  centuries  the  sea 
that  washes  its  shores  was  annually  visited  by  adventurous 
whalers.*  Steadily  and  continually  an  arctic  current  sets  this 

*  Scoresby  points  out  that  Holland  in  one  hundred  and  seven  years  fitted 
out  over  fourteen  thousand  ships  for  the  Greenland  whale  fisheries,  only  four 
per  centum  of  which  were  lost,  and  took  from  these  seas  oil  and  bone  to  the 
value  of  fifty-five  million  dollars.  The  same  nation  in  sixty  years  drew  from 


GREENLAND.  27 

ice-stream  southward  from  the  Polar  Sea  into  the  North  Atlan- 
tic. In  winter  it  is  a  solid  pack  covering  the  sea  from  Spitz- 
hergen  and  Iceland  to  the  Greenland  coast.  In  summer,  how- 
ever, southerly  winds,  high  temperatures,  and  the  warm  current 
to  the  north  (discovered  by  Nordenskiold's  expedition  of  1883,  to 
exist  fifty  miles  off  shore),  loosens  and  disintegrates  the  pack, 
leaving  along  the  shore  an  ice-belt  varying  from  twenty  to  a 
hundred  miles  in  width. 

From  the  70th  parallel  successive  explorers  have  indeed 
outlined  the  coast  as  far  northward  as  Cape  Bismarck,  latitude 
77°,  but  to  the  southward  it  is  a  blank  for  over  three  hundred 
miles,  until  from  Cape  Dan  we  sight  Graah's  Islands,  reached 
from  the  south  by  that  energetic  Dane  on  his  fruitless  search 
for  the  lost  colonies. 

This  land  is  freer  from  the  inland  ice  than  the  western  coast, 
and  its  shores  less  frequently  broken  by  intersecting  inlets.  It 
presents  several  remarkable  fiords,  one  of  which,  Kaiser  Franz 
Josef,  vividly  described  by  Payer,  is  among  the  grandest  and 
most  beautiful  in  the  world.  To  the  westward  of  this  fiord 
Petermann's  Peak,  perhaps  the  only  true  mountain  of  Green- 
land, raises  its  head  some  eleven  thousand  feet  toward  the 
heavens. 

Sixty  years  ago  a  few  scattered  Eskimo  lived  near  the  75th 
parallel,  but  in  1870  Dr.  Pansch  found  the  huts  desolate,  their 
occupants  vanished.  Doubtless  they  had  withdrawn  toward 
Cape  Farewell,  near  which,  in  1861,  Mr.  Rosing  reported  the 
east  coast  natives  as  numbering  from  eight  hundred  to  a  thou- 
sand. 

Nordenskiold  who  succeeded,  August,  1883,  in  landing  on  that 

the  waters  of  Davis  Strait  wealth  amounting  to  nearly  thirteen  million  dollars. 
These  incomplete  figures  may  convey  to  the  reader  some  faint  idea  of  the  solid 
contributions  of  the  Arctic  seas  to  the  wealth  of  the  world. 


28  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

coast,  discovered  recent  traces  of  Eskimo  in  King  Oscar  Harbor, 
just  north  of  Cape  Dan,  about  66°  N.,  a  fact  which  shows  that 
occasional  parties  yet  frequent  that  vicinity,  probably  in  search 
of  game. 

Danish  Greenland  covers  the  western  coast  from  Cape  Fare- 
well nearly  a  thousand  miles  northward.  Its  northern  Inspector- 
ate is  divided  into  seven,  and  the  southern  into  five  districts. 
Each  portion  is  governed  by  a  royal  inspector  as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  King  of  Denmark.  He  has,  to  a  certain  extent,  su- 
pervision of  the  officials  of  the  Royal  Trade,  and  acts  in  a 
magisterial  capacity  whenever  necessary. 

The  Royal  Trade  monopoly  was  originally  a  private  corpora- 
tion, but  was,  in  1774,  acquired  by  the  Danish  Government,  of 
which  it  forms  a  special  bureau  known  as  the  Royal  Greenland 
Board  of  Trade.  The  chief  stations,  or  "  colonies,"  are  generally 
in  charge  of  an  administrator,  a  chief  trader,  who  is  frequently 
called  Governor  by  the  whalers.  The  subordinate  clerks,  known 
as  assistants  or  volunteers  according  to  their  grades,  are  placed 
in  charge  of  smaller  stations. 

In  the  southern  inspectorate  the  four  most  important  districts, 
containing  over  half  the  population  of  Greenland,  are  without 
the  Arctic  circle.  In  these  districts  are  several  Moravian  mis- 
sions, established  a  century  and  a  half  ago.  They  were  for  a 
time  as  important  as  the  missions  in  our  own  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania, which  then,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  constituted,  with 
Greenland,  a  diocese,  which  was  visited  by  the  same  bishop. 

The  face  of  the  earth  has  changed,  and  now  no  Moravian 
missionary  wends  his  way  to  Pennsylvania,  bearing  to  its  suffer- 
ing proselytes  sympathy  and  charity  from  the  natives  of  Green- 
land. By  a  curious  chance,  however,  commerce  keeps  up  the 
connection,  and  the  cryolite  of  Ivigtut  finds  its  way  through 
Philadelphia  to  the  industries  of  the  world. 


GREENLAND.  29 

The  cryolite  deposit  at  Ivigtut  was  discovered  by  Giesecke 
in  1806.  A  license  to  work  it  was  granted  in  1857,  and  in 
eighteen  years,  says  Rink,  eighty-four  thousand  tons  were 
mined,  for  which  Denmark  received  nearly  $300,000  royalty. 

Whalebone,  oil,  feathers,  eider-down,  skins  of  the  seal,  fox, 
bear,  and  reindeer,  form  the  greater  balance  of  the  exports,  ag- 
gregating annually,  for  all  Greenland,  $33,000  in  value. 

The  coast  line  free  from  inland  ice  in  this  inspectorate  aver- 
ages perhaps  sixty  miles  in  width.  Crowberries,  bog,  and  red 
whortleberries  are  found  in  favorable  localities.  Copses  of 
birches,  alders,  and  willows  prevail,  the  trees  attaining  occasion- 
ally a  height  of  ten  or  twelve  feet. 

The  chief  colony,  Godthaab,  62°  11'  N.,  was  one  of  the  Inter- 
national Circumpolar  Stations.  Its  population,  including  the 
adjacent  mission,  is  nearly  three  hundred.  It  is  the  residence 
of  the  Royal  Inspector  of  Southern  Greenland ;  has  a  brick 
church,  a  seminary,  and  the  usual  houses  for  the  Danish 
officials.  A  view  of  Godthaab  is  given  on  page  19. 

New  Herrnhut  and  Lichtenfels,  the  two  Moravian  com- 
munities, are  represented  by  Rink  as  contrasting  unfavorably 
with  Godthaab.  Of  their  population  he  says  they  "  numbered 
773  in  1855,  711  in  1860,  and  538  in  1872.  This  striking  de- 
crease is  not  owing  to  any  accidental  cause,  but  merely  to  a 
prevailing  mortality  arising  from  the  miserable  condition  of  the 
natives  belonging  to  these  communities  as  regards  their  habi- 
tations, clothing,  and  whole  mode  of  life."  Rink's  figures  must 
be  accepted,  but  his  opinions  can  scarcely  be  considered  con- 
clusive regarding  these  missions  of  a  religious  faith  differing 
from  that  of  the  Danish  officials. 

It  is  a  matter  of  interest  that  the  estimated  population  of  the 
ancient  Norse  settlements  —  ten  thousand  souls  —  coincides 
closely  with  the  population  as  given  by  Crantz  a  century 


30  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

and  a  half  ago,  and  as  determined  by  the  Danish  census  of 
late  years. 

Numerous  traces  of  the  Norsemen  are  yet  visible  in  this  in- 
spectorate in  the  shape  of  interesting  ruins,  eight  of  which  are 
churches,  the  most  remarkable  being  the  Kakortok  Church  near 
Julianehaab. 

The  northern  inspectorate  is  better  known  from  the  annual 
visits  of  whalers  to  Godhavn  and  Upernivik.  At  the  former 
station,  called  Lievely  by  the  English  whalers,  the  Danish  in- 
spector resides.  An  excellent  land-locked  harbor  insures  se- 
curity to  visiting  ships. 

The  inland  ice,  which  in  the  southern  part  of  this  inspectorate 
retreats  nearly  a  hundred  miles  from  the  outer  shores,  almost 
reaches  the  sea-coast  in  the  extreme  north,  and  debouches  into 
ice-fiords  at  Jakobshavn  and  Upernivik.  These  remarkable 
fiords  yearly  send  out  hundreds  of  icebergs,  many  of  which  find 
their  way  into  the  Atlantic. 

As  might  be  supposed  the  Eskimo  live  principally  by  hunt- 
ing and  fishing.  Seals,  white  whales,  birds,  and  fish  afford 
seven-eighths  of  their  subsistence,  the  balance  being  bread, 
pease,  and  barley  from  the  Trade. 

The  natives  learn  quickly  the  rudiments  of  a  handicraft,  and 
many  find  employment  in  government  service.  As  neither 
industry  nor  commerce  exists  in  Greenland,  the  only  outlet  for 
energy  and  ability,  apart  from  hunting  and  fishing,  is  in  the 
Royal  Trade.  About  ten  per  centum  gain  a  livelihood  in  gov- 
ernment service,  fifteen  by  fishing,  and  seventy-five  by  seal- 
hunting. 

The  seal,  when  caught,  affords  blubber  and  skin,  which  is  sold 
to  the  Trade  for  the  catchers'  profit ;  but  the  flesh  or  meat  is  by 
force  of  public  opinion  almost  common  property  from  the 
obligation  of  the  hunters  to  share  with  their  neighbors.  The 


GREENLAND.  31 

money  received  for  skin  and  blubber  goes  for  coffee,  bread, 
cotton  goods,  sugar,  and  tobacco  in  the  order  named.  Intoxi- 
cating drinks  are  not  sold.  Although  much  relishing  spirituous 
liquors  the  Greenlanders  are  not  given  to  intoxication. 

One-fifth  the  amount  paid  for  articles  sold  to  the  Trade  is 
held  as  a  Poor  Fund,  which  is  distributed  by  a  council  com- 
posed of  the  missionary,  a  trade  official,  and  certain  elected 
representatives,  only  providers  being  eligible  to  the  position. 
This  council  determines  to  whom  and  in  what  way  aid  shall  be 
given,  discriminating  between  the  necessities  springing  from 
idleness  and  those  from  misfortune.  The  fund  remaining  un- 
distributed each  spring  is  divided  among  hunters  and  fishers 
who  have  not  required  assistance  the  previous  season. 

The  naturally  amiable  qualities  of  the  Eskimo  have  been 
fostered  by  the  Christianizing  influences  of  the  Danish  pastors 
and  the  Moravian  missionaries.  Religious  and  instructive 
books  have  been  printed  in  Eskimo  text,  and  a  large  portion 
of  the  natives  read,  although  but  few  of  them  can  write.  In 
general  they  are  devout,  honest,  truthful.  Their  vices  are 
negative.  A  gentle  folk,  violence  and  theft  are  rarely  known 
among  them,  and  in  twelve  years  but  one  murder,  and  that  in 
passion.  The  municipal  council  investigate  and  punish  offences, 
which  are  generally  trivial,  but  they  have  no  means  of  enforcing 
punishment,  which  is  usually  light,  such  as  denial  of  trade 
privileges,  which  entails  abstention  from  bread  and  coffee. 
Occasionally  temporary  expulsion  from  the  settlement  is  de- 
creed. 

Marriages,  christenings,  and  burials  conform  to  Christian 
usages.  Dancing  and  singing  festivals  are  favorite  amuse- 
ments, and  coffee  parties  are  fashionable  for  birthdays  and 
other  anniversaries. 

Two-thirds  of  the  houses  are  miserable,  partly  underground 


32 


THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


hovels,  with  no  means  of  heating  or  cooking  except  the  Eskimo 
lamp. 

Men  and  women  are  alike  clothed  with  jacket  and  trousers. 
The  jacket  is  a  hooded  jumper  with  openings  only  for  face  and 
hands.  The  hood  is  enlarged  when  necessary  so  as  to  admit  of 


Arctic  Belles. 


an  infant  being  carried  inside  against  the  woman's  back.  The 
women's  trousers  are  very  narrow  and  extend  barely  from  hips 
to  knees,  so  that  a  bit  of  white  chemise  is  sometimes  seen  at 
the  waist,  and  a  portion  of  the  naked  thigh  above  the  knee. 
Formerly  the  women's  jumper  had  two  flaps,  and  reached  far 
below  the  hips,  but  fashion  has  changed  all  that.  The  outer 
clothing  was  once  entirely  of  sealskin,  but  now  the  jumper  is 


GREENLAND.  33 

frequently  of  cotton  cloth.  The  women's  boots,  of  variegated 
white,  red,  and  purple  leather,  are  elaborately  ornamented  with 
fancy  seams.  Boots,  trousers,  and  jumpers  are  sometimes 
trimmed  with  fancy  fur. 

The  Eskimo  boot  is  of  smooth,  well-tanned  sealskin,  which 
resists  occasional  immersion  in  water.  The  soles  projecting  at 
heel  and  toe  are  skilfully  curved  up  and  united  to  the  uppers,  in 
such  a  manner  that  no  seam  is  found  on  a  bearing  surface. 

The  women  gather  their  hair  in  tufts  on  the  very  top  of  the 
head,  the  central  tuft  rising  an  inch  or  two  above  the  outer 
circlet.  The  size  of  the  tuft  is  a  matter  of  pride,  and  in  tying 
the  hair  up  gay  ribbons  are  much  in  vogue,  which  by  their 
color  of  red,  yellow,  or  green  betoken  the  woman's  condition  as 
maid,  wife,  or  widow. 

Although  hard  working  and  industrious  on  occasion,  yet 
there  is  an  almost  universal  spirit  of  improvidence.  The 
paternal  care  of  the  Danish  Government  is  the  only  thing 
which  stands  between  the  Eskimo  and  ultimate  extinction. 
The  Royal  Trade  indeed  forbids  free  traffic,  and  purchases  the 
result  of  the  hunt  at  a  nominal  price,  but  when  bad  seasons 
come  and  starvation  impends,  the  natives  are  fed  at  its  expense. 
The  charity  of  the  officials,  however,  is  not  always  effective  in 
warding  off  starvation. 

A  famine  in  1856-57,  in  Southern  Greenland,  caused  by  the 
failure  of  the  seal  catch,  resulted  in  the  death  of  a  hundred  and 
forty  persons,  owing  to  the  impracticability  of  communicating 
with  the  supply  stations. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  of  Southern  Greenland  (33°) 
is  about  the  same  as  that  of  the  Red  River  Valley  in  Dakota, 
but  correspondingly  low  temperatures  are  not  known,  as  —  50° 
has  never  been  noted  at  any  Greenland  settlement.  The 
climate  resembles  much  that  of  Northern  Norway. 


34  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

The  mean  temperature  at  the  northern  stations  rapidly  de- 
creases after  crossing  the  Arctic  circle,  and  at  Upernivik  is 
13°  for  the  year  and  —10.3°  for  February.  The  coldest  month 
ever  noted  was  —20.6°  at  Upernivik,  January,  1874.  The 
highest  single  temperature  recorded  was  68°  and  the  lowest 
—  47°.  At  Upernivik  the  extremes  in  the  past  ten  years  have 
been  +59.7°  and  -39.6°.* 


Upernivik. 
[The  most  northerly  civtUsed  settlement  in  the  wtiole  world.] 

It  is  not  generally  known  that  two  ice-streams  exist  in  Davis 
Strait,  with  a  belt  of  open  water  between,  the  greater  part  of 
the  year.  The  one  on  the  American  side  carries  the  Baffin 
Bay  ice  steadily  southward.  That  on  the  Greenland  side  is  a 
narrow  offshoot  of  the  Spitzbergen  ice-stream,  which,  rounding 

*  All  temperatures  given  are  in  degrees  Fahrenheit,  except  such  as  are 
marked  C.  for  Centigrade. 


GREENLAND.  35 

Cape  Farewell  from  the  east  coast,  extends  northward  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Godthaab.  Ports  to  the  southward  of  that 
place  are  reached  only  by  passing  to  the  northward  of  this 
stream.  It  is  only  after  the  Arctic  circle  is  crossed  that  the 
open  sea  of  Davis  Strait  is  liable  to  be  frozen  over,  and  even 
then  it  is  not  a  solid  covering,  but  rather  a  cemented  drifting 
pack  which  moves  steadily  southward,  as  shown  by  the  drift  of 
the  Advance,  the  Fox,  and  the  Polaris  party. 

Greenland,  from  Cape  York  northward,  is  treated  of  in  other 
portions  of  this  work,  but  to  that  point  from  the  last  Danish 
settlement,  latitude  73°  24',  extends  three  hundred  miles  of  un- 
known coast,  probably  covered  by  the  inland  ice  to  its  very 
shore.  This  desolate  region  has,  as  far  as  we  know,  never  been 
trodden  by  the  foot  of  man,  and  its  very  outlines  will  doubtless 
remain  unknown  until  among  the  Danes  another  adventurous 
Graah  shall  rise  up,  to  search  out  and  tell  us  the  mysteries  of 
that  vacant  land. 


English  Cairn,  S.  E.  Gary  Island,    1875. 
[Baffin  discovered  this  isktnd,  1616.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OBGANIZATION    AND    EQUIPMENT. 

r  I  HIE  organization  and  equipment  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay 
Expedition  were  accomplished  under  great  disadvantages, 
arising  not  only  from  inadequate  means,  but  from  the  avowed 
hostility  to  the  work  of  the  Cabinet  chief,  under  whose  charge 
it  necessarily  was.  No  friendly  board  of  Arctic  experts,  with 
lavish  funds  at  its  command,  assisted  by  its  counsel  and  advice, 
but  the  preparation  in  this  case  devolved  entirely  on  the  com- 
manding officer  of  the  expedition.  The  detailed  requisitions 
for  food,  clothing,  and  other  supplies  were  prepared  in  seventy- 
two  hours,  and  under  stress  of  knowledge  that  the  question  of 
sending  the  expedition  depended  very  largely  on  the  character 
and  quantity  of  supplies  asked  for.  Although  assigned  to  com- 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EQUIPMENT.  37 

mand  March  llth,  the  whole  matter  was  later  held  in  abeyance 
by  Mr.  Lincoln,  then  Secretary  of  War,  and  until  April  1st, 
despite  the  personal  efforts  of  Senator  Conger  and  the  persist- 
ent labors  of  General  Ilazen,  it  was  undecided  if  the  expedition 
should  go..  The  formal  approval  (General  Order  35,  War  De- 
partment) was  not  issued  until  April  12th,  barely  two  months 
prior  to  the  departure  of  the  main  party. 

The  detailed  orders  as  to  the  organization  and  duties  of  the 
Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition  appear  elsewhere. 

The  plan  contemplated  the  transportation  of  the  expedition  in 
a  chartered  vessel  from  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  to  Lady 
Franklin  Bay,  where  the  party  was  to  establish  their  quarters, 
the  ship  returning.  A  steamer  was  to  visit  the  station  annually 
with  supplies  and  recruits.  Several  designated  vessels  were  care- 
fully inspected  under  directions  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
and  from  those  reported  to  be  fit  for  the  service  the  steamer 
Proteus  was  selected.  She  was  a  new  (7  years  old)  barkentine- 
rigged  steamer  of  oak,  with  two  compound  engines  ;  110  horse- 
power ;  467  tons  register ;  had  an  iron  armed  prow,  and  was 
sheathed  with  ironwood  from  above  the  water-line  to  below 
the  turn  of  the  bilge.  She  had  been  built  for  the  sealing  busi- 
ness under  personal  supervision  of  her  owners,  and  conformed 
in  all  respects  to  the  most  approved  methods  of  construction  for 
use  in  heavy  Arctic  ice.  Her  screw  was  self -lifting,  she  had 
spare  rudder  and  propeller,  and  was  in  every  respect  suitable  for 
the  projected  work.  Her  master,  Richard  Pike,  had  for  many 
years  been  engaged  in  the  dangerous  seal-fishery  of  the  Labrador 
ice,  and  was  one  of  the  most  experienced  captains  and  ice-navi- 
gators of  Newfoundland.  His  crew  were  selected  men  from  the 
hardy  fishermen  of  that  island.  The  charter  of  this  vessel  con- 
sumed over  three-fourths  of  the  appropriation,  leaving  less  than 
six  thousand  dollars  for  the  special  outfit  of  the  party. 


38  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [July, 

This  small  sum  was  economically  spent  for  our  supply  of 
coal,  scientific  instruments,  boats,  dogs,  dog-food,  special  woollen 
and  fur  clothing,  pemrnican,  lime-juice,  spirits,  special  articles 
of  diet,  natural  history  supplies,  table  and  household  equipage, 
etc.  Nothing  was  purchased  except  after  most  careful  con- 
sideration as  to  its  necessity  and  cost.  In  consequence  many 
very  desirable  articles  were  omitted,  and  in  all  cases  the  supply 
reduced  to  a  minimum.  The  War  Department  declined  to 
facilitate  or  make  special  the  requisition  for  the  appropriation, 
which  was  not  available,  in  any  event,  until  July  1st.  In  conse- 
quence, rather  than  abandon  the  undertaking,  it  became  neces- 
sary at  the  last  moment  to  guarantee  many  bills  for  special  arti- 
cles purchased.  For  friendly  services  in  this  as  in  other  impor- 
tant respects,  both  the  expedition  and  myself  were  under  special 
obligations  to  Major  Charles  Appleby,  of  New  York. 

The  various  bureaus  of  the  War  Department  furnished  ex- 
cellent arms  and  ammunition,  clothing,  and  camp  equipage 
(army  pattern  only),  hospital  stores,  and  the  usual  field  supply 
of  medicines.  Ample  subsistence  stores,  of  superior  quality, 
were  furnished  on  requisition  for  sale  to  officers  and  men. 

Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and  two  men  left  New  York,  May 
31st,  to  supervise  the  stowing  of  cargo.  On  June  14th  the  main 
party,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  James  B.  Lockwood,  sailed 
from  Baltimore  for  St.  John's  on  the  steamer  Nova  Scotian. 

Professor  Daniel  C.  Gilman,  President  of  Johns  Hopkins 
University,  took  a  decided  interest  in  this  scientific  work  of  in- 
ternational importance.  His  desire  to  evidence  this  in  some 
public  manner,  in  conjunction  with  other  prominent  Balti- 
moreans,  was  thoroughly  appreciated.  The  early  hour  of  sail- 
ing, and  the  limited  time  the  party  could  remain  in  Baltimore, 
were  cogent  reasons  why  his  kindly  thought  assumed  no  tangi- 
ble form. 


J< 


<=! 

a- 


,       - 

a  5  s 


o  w 
S   s 


«  = 

.2    c 


1881.]  ORGANIZATION   AND   EQUIPMENT.  30 

I  had  hoped  to  sail  from  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  July  1st, 
but  the  condition  of  affairs  was  such  on  my  arrival  at  that  point, 
on  June  27th,  as  to  render  it  impossible.  Certain  essential  sup- 
plies had  not  arrived,  and  the  stores  on  board  the  Proteus  were 
in  endless  confusion.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  had  kindly 
furnished  a  small  steam-launch,  but  its  boiler  proved  entirely 
unsuitable  for  salt-water,  and  had  to  be  replaced  at  St.  John's. 
Such  results  necessarily  flowed  from  a  policy  which  rendered  it 
obligatory  to  perfect  in  two  months  and  a  half  the  outfitting  of 
a  party  destined  for  over  two  years'  separation  from  the  rest  of 
the  world.  Though  succeeding  experiences  proved  that  no 
article  really  essential  to  health  or  success  was  wanting,  yet 
other  results  might  have  easily  followed,  and  certain  deficiences 
did  occur  which,  in  longer  time,  could  have  been  remedied  to 
our  later  pleasure  and  comfort. 

As  to  the  members  of  the  expedition,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to 
remark  that  all  were  highly  recommended,  passed  a  strict  medi- 
cal examination,  and  were  volunteers.  Lieutenant  Kislingbury, 
in  a  service  of  over  fifteen  years,  had  a  fine  reputation  for  field 
duty.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  had  served  eight  years,  almost 
always  on  the  frontier,  and  was  highly  recommended  as  an 
officer  of  sterling  merit  and  varied  attainments. 

Edward  Israel  and  George  W.  Rice,  in  order  to  accompany 
the  expedition,  cheerfully  accepted  service  as  enlisted  men.  The 
former,  a  graduate  of  Ann  Arbor  University,  went  in  his  chosen 
profession  as  astronomer,  while  the  latter,  a  professional  photo- 
grapher, hoped  to  add  to  his  reputation  in  that  art  by  service 
with  the  expedition.  Sergeants  Jewell  and  lialston  had  served 
long  and  faithfully  as  meteorological  observers  ;  while  Gardiner, 
though  of  younger  service,  was  most  promising.  Long  and 
hazardous  duty  on  the  Western  frontier  had  inured  the  greater 
part  of  the  men  to  dangers,  hardships,  and  exposure,  and  de- 


40  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.        [July,  1881. 

veloped  in  them  that  quality  of  helpfulness  so  essential  in 
Arctic  service. 

On  July  4th,  with  all  on  board,  the  Proteus  dropped  to 
anchor  off  Queen's  wharf,  awaiting  the  final  supplies.  They 
came  on  the  7th,  and  at  noon  of  that  day  we  passed  the  majestic 
cliffs  which  form  the  narrows  of  St.  John's,  and  turned  our 
prow  toward  Greenland  with  fine  weather,  blue  sky,  and  favor- 
ing wind. 

There  was  a  touch  of  sadness  mingled  with  our  exultation ; 
for,  while  we  sped  on  to  the  icy  north,  not  only  were  loving 
hearts  left  behind  us  in  the  sunny  south,  but  our  great  nation 
with  bated  breath  was  watching  over  its  dying  chief. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    VOYAGE    TO    UPERNIVIK. July,    1881. 

"O  ON  A  VIST  A  with  its  shining  light  was  passed  the  evening 
of  the  7th,  from  which  point  we  hoped — and  not  in  vain 
— to  be  reported.  A  few  scattered  icebergs  were  seen  be- 
tween Funk  Island  and  the  straits  of  Belle  Isle,  the  lingering 
remnants  of  the  enormous  ice-fields  which  cover  .the  Newfound- 
land waters  during  the  spring  months. 

Northwesterly  gales  and  thick  weather  delayed  us,  but  on  the 
13th  we  were  in  Davis  Strait  off  Frederickshaab,  where  the 
first  ice  was  encountered.  The  pack  was  a  loose  one  and  con- 
sisted of  two  streams  of  ice  from  ten  to  thirty  miles  wide,  which 
in  no  way  impeded  the  ship's  progress.  These  floes  were  off- 
shoots of  the  great  Spitzbergen  ice-stream  which,  drifting  down 
the  coast  of  East  Greenland,  are  set  along  the  west  shore  by 
the  prevailing  northerly  current.  The  greater  part  of  the  ice 
ranged  from  three  to  five  feet  above  the  water,  and  almost  with- 
out exception  each  piece  was  deeply  grooved  at  the  water's 
edge,  evidently  by  the  action  of  the  waves.  Above  and  below 
the  surface  of  the  sea  projected  long  tongue-like  edges.  The 
novel  and  fascinating  scene  engaged  the  attention  of  all. 

The  advancing  and  receding  waves  along  the  tongues  of  ice 
continually  changed  their  aspect,  and  gave  forth  colors  which 
resolved  themselves  into  indescribable  hues  of  great  beauty. 
The  most  delicate  tints  of  blue  mingled  quickly  and  iudistin- 


THKEK   YEARS   OF   AKCTIC   SERVICE. 


[July, 


guishably  into  those  of  rare  light  green,  to  be  succeeded  later  as 
the  water  receded  from  the  floe's  side,  by  shades  of  bluish  white. 
Occasional  floes  were  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  high  and  in  these  at 
times  the  level  surfaces  gave  way  to  pinnacles  or  hummocks. 

The  temperature  of  the 
surface  water  fell  from  forty 
to  thirty -five  degrees  on  en- 
tering the  pack,  and  rose  to 
thirty-eight  on  passing  it. 
At  five  fathoms  in  the  pack 
it  was  thirty-four  degrees. 

On  the  14th,  off  Godthaab, 
the  fog  lifted  and  permitted 
our  first  glimpse  of  Green- 
The  mountains  rise 


Natural  Monument  near  Godhavn.     (From  a  Photograph.) 

some  three  thousand  feet,  displaying  their  glacial  garb  as  a  fit- 
ting border  to  the  desolate  coast  in  the  foreground. 

The  northerly  gale  broke  sufficiently  on  the  14th  to  afford 
glimpses  of  the  sun,  and  our  noonday  observation — the  first  of 


1881.]  THE  VOYAGE  TO   UPERNIVIK.  43 

the  voyage — placed  us  within  the  Arctic  circle.  The  bleak 
highlands  of  Disco  were  hidden  by  an  Arctic  fog,  and  only  dis- 
closed themselves,  after  hours  of  tedious  waiting  on  the  evening 
of  the  15th,  when  we  found  ourselves  but  a  few  miles  from 
Godhavn.  The  south  coast  of  Disco  Island  rises  precipitously 
some  twenty-five  hundred  feet  out  of  the  sea,  and  in  some 
seventy  miles  it  breaks  only  at  Godhavn,  to  form  a  secure  and 
land-locked  harbor.  The  entrance  is  so  hidden,  however,  that 
in  making  it  one  seems  to  be  beaching  the  vessel,  until  an  abrupt 
turn  leads  to  the  tranquil  cove  in  front  of  the  very  settlement. 

As  we  entered,  a  small  gun  belched  forth  a  salute,  and  the 
Danish  flag  was  displayed  from  the  station's  flagstaff.  Our 
vessel  was  hardly  anchored  when  a  kindly  gentleman,  evidently 
of  Scandinavian  origin,  boarded  it,  and  in  good  English  bade  us 
welcome  to  Disco.  It  was  Herr  Ivrarup  Smith,  the  Royal  In- 
spector of  North  Greenland,  an  official  of  unvarying  courtesy, 
whose  helpful  kindness  and  advice  was  always  at  the  command 
of  whaler  or  explorer.  His  death  in  May,  1882,  created  a  void 
in  Northern  Greenland  which  it  will  be  difficult  to  fill. 

Inspector  Smith  was  about  leaving  for  his  annual  tour  of  in- 
spection to  Upernivik,  on  the  Danish  brig  which  lay  in  the 
harbor.  He  delayed  his  departure  a  day  that  he  might  extend 
to  the  expedition  all  possible  assistance. 

The  usual  visits  of  ceremony  were  duly  made,  and  later  the 
officers  of  the  party  dined  with  Mrs.  Smith.  The  dinner  was  a 
surprise  to  us  all,  as  we  expected  but  little  variety  in  that  part  of 
the  globe.  A  tiny  bouquet  of  cultivated  flowers  for  each,  first 
greeted  our  vision.  The  principal  dishes  were  fresh  Greenland 
salmon  of  delicate  flavor,  larded  eider-ducks,  and  tender  Arctic 
ptarmigan  ;  all  served  with  excellent  wines. 

Regarding  vegetables,  it  should  be  said  that,  except  radishes, 
lettuce,  etc.,  they  are  imported  canned,  as  they  will  not  grow  at 


44  THREE  YEARS   OF   AKCTIO   SERVICE.  [July, 

Godhavn.  There  was  no  fresh  meat  there  except  a  little  which 
we  were  able  to  spare.  Reindeer  (which  formerly  roamed  over 
Disco  alone  of  the  Greenland  islands)  is  the  favorite  meat  with 
Europeans,  though  many  relish  seal  meat.  The  latter,  though 
tender  and  juicy,  has  a  slightly  sweetish  taste,  which  is  as  un- 
palatable to  some  as  its  coarse,  dark  meat  is  unpleasing  to  the 
eye.  It  can  be  recommended,  however,  as  very  nutritious. 

At  Godhavn  it  is  a  case  of  the  mountain  and  the  sea,  for  as 
you  turn  your  back  to  Disco  Bay  the  cliffs  spring  over  two  thou- 
sand feet  out  of  the  very  water.  The  upper  half,  a  dark  beet- 
ling precipice,  impresses  one  equally  by  its  grandeur  and  des- 
olation. The  lower  half  is  clothed  more  or  less  with  vegeta- 
tion, and  at  one  point  a  break  in  the  cliff  leaves  a  sloping  valley, 
through  which  glides  a  sparkling  brook,  which  from  above 
plunges  wildly  down  its  bed  of  rugged  rock.  This  brook  hardly 
seems  an  Arctic  one,  as  its  banks  and  borders  are  covered  with 
a  vegetation  which  would  be  luxuriant  even  in  lower  latitudes. 
The  valley  is  called  the  "  heath-field,"  and  the  visitor  well  be- 
lieves the  statement  that  it  is  the  best  botanical  spot  of  Green- 
land, and  that  over  forty  varieties  of  plants  can  there  be 
gathered. 

The  surroundings  of  Godhavn  are  striking  and  impressive. 
The  settlement  itself  is  situated  on  a  small  syenite  island,  which 
is  sparsely  covered  with  soil  and  vegetation.  Its  highest  point 
is  of  scarcely  a  hundred  feet  elevation,  but  so  numerous  were 
the  icebergs  on  that  July  day,  that  from  it  more  than  a  hun- 
dred could  be  counted  at  once. 

These  huge  masses  of  castellated  ice  broke  with  their  snowy 
whiteness  the  monotony  of  the  sea,  and  as  they  drifted  past, 
drew  after  them  unceasingly  our  thoughts  and  attention.  In 
general,  these  white-winged  ships  were  silent  messengers  of 
peace,  but  in  entering  the  harbor  our  gentle  swell  struck  lazily 


1881.]  THE  VOYAGE  TO   UPERNIVIK.  45 

and  softly  a  beautiful  berg  of  lofty  arches,  slender  pinnacles, 
and  stately  colonnades,  down  the  sides  of  which  miniature  tor* 
rents  poured.  It  needed  but  this  slight  impulse  to  destroy  its 
equilibrium,  and  in  an  instant  it  burst  into  countless  fragments 
which  whitened  the  sea  with  foam,  and  rolled  huge  billows  in  all 
directions.  The  thundering  report  startled  us  all,  and  the  re- 
sistless force  shown  by  this  mountain  of  ice  inspired  the  least 
impressive  with  feelings  of  awe. 

The  external  aspects  of  the  colony  of  Godhavn  represent  well 
the  principal  trading  stations  of  Greenland.  The  few  dwelling- 
houses  for  the  Danish  officials  are  commonly  wooden  structures 
with  thick  walls  of  rough  hewn  logs,  which  insure  thorough  dry- 
ness  and  sufficient  warmth.  The  dark  tarred  walls  are  relieved 
by  white  or  red  window-casings,  and  generally  the  roof  has  a 
reddish  tinge  quite  in  consonance  with  the  predominating  color  of 
the  adjacent  rock-masses.  It  is  perhaps  needless  to  say  that  the 
interiors  of  these  houses  are  Danish  homes,  and  that  in  some 
of  them  one  would  not  know,  save  from  the  trim,  neatly-dressed 
Eskimo  servants,  that  it  was  Greenland  and  not  Denmark. 
Several  of  the  latest  books  lay  on  the  table  at  Inspector  Smith's, 
and  we  were  favored  with  piano  accompaniments  for  many 
songs,  from  The  Star  Spangled  Banner  to  Denmark's  national 
anthem.  A  neat  church  with  spire  and  bell,  the  indispensable 
trade  storehouses,  with  workshops  and  oil  manufactory,  con- 
clude the  list  of  Government  buildings. 

The  Eskimo  houses  are,  as  a  rule,  very  poor,  generally  stone 
and  turf  structures  lined  with  wood,  and  provided  with  the 
usual  wooden,  raised  platform,  serving  as  a  bench  by  day  and 
for  a  bed  at  night.  The  better  class  of  houses  replace  the  flat 
roof  of  dirt  and  turf  by  a  sloping  one  of  wood,  and,  besides 
adding  a  wooden  floor,  substitute  glass  for  the  old  membranous 
panes  from  the  intestines  of  the  seal. 


46  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [July, 

One  rarely  can  stand  erect  in  a  house,  and  the  odors  peculiar 
to  the  universal  Eskimo  lamp,  united  to  others,  are  hardly  less 
trying  within,  than  are  the  strong-smelling  heaps  of  refuse  with- 
out, the  doors.  A  cursory  view  of  their  interiors  was  enough 
for  me,  and  it  seems  strange  that  the  enforced  conditions,  under 
which  the  inmates  of  these  densely-crowded  huts  pass  the  long 
Arctic  winter,  do  not  cause  greater  ravages  by  disease. 

A  very  short  visit  to  an  Eskimo  dance,  which  was  given  in 
honor  of  our  arrival,  was  sufficient  to  convince  me  that  the 
natives  understand  how  to  enjoy  such  gatherings,  but  did  not 
awaken  any  inclination  to  participate  therein,  though  others  of 
the  expedition  thought  otherwise.  In  Greenland  as  elsewhere, 
chacun  d  son  gout. 

On  landing  you  are  at  once  impressed  with  the  number  and 
character  of  the  dogs.  The  dog  is  an  important  animal  in 
Northern  Greenland,  and  he  seems  to  know  his  vantage.  He 
looks  on  every  stranger  as  an  enemy,  who  must  be  watched  and 
harassed.  They  are  annoying  only  on  their  own  domain,  and 
are  experts  in  those  false  attacks  which  are  trying  to  one's  tem- 
per and  dignity. 

It  is  amusing,  when  not  personally  interested,  to  note  how 
suddenly  a  snarling,  yelling  pack,  snapping  at  one's  heels,  will 
turn  and  flee  when  they  near  the  ground  of  some  other  king. 
He  is  a  rare  dog,  indeed,  who  dares  travel  alone  through  the 
entire  village  of  Godhavn.  A  stick  or  stone  generally  quiets  a 
pack,  but  occasionally,  when  very  harshly  treated,  and  when  long 
starved  they  are  dangerous  to  children,  and  even,  though  very 
rarely,  to  men. 

Our  team  purchased  at  Godhavn  were  stout,  surly  animals  of 
apparently  incurable  viciousness,  which,  as  we  shall  see  later, 
completely  vanished  under  the  benign  influences  of  kind  treat- 
ment and  good  food. 


1881.]  THE   VOYAGE   TO   UPERNIVIK.  47 

Twelve  dogs  with  a  supply  of  dog-food  were  purchased,  and 
the  house  and  peinmican,  stored  there  by  the  unfortunate  How- 
gate  expedition  of  1880,  were  taken  on  board. 

On  July  20th  Dr.  Octave  Pavy  arrived  from  Bitenbenk, 
where  lie  had  passed  the  preceding  year  as  naturalist  of  the 
liowgate  expedition.  He  was  contracted  with  as  an  acting 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  army  for  duty  with  the  expedition,  and 
took  the  oath  of  service  that  day. 

The  last  hours  at  Godhavn  were  given  to  our  mail,  as  two 
days  later  a  Danish  brig  was  to  sail  from  Egedesminde,  which 
should  convey  to  our  friends  by  the  end  of  August  full  news  of 
our  safe  arrival  in  Greenland.  A  few  hours'  steaming  on  the 
morning  of  July  21st,  took  us  along  the  bold,  high  coast  of 
Disco  Island  to  the  entrance  of  AVaigat  Strait.  Along  this 
coast  for  fifty  miles  to  the  eastward  no  shelter  exists  for  ves- 
sels, and  for  over  five  miles  from  Godhavn,  the  most  active 
mountaineer  would  search  in  vain  for  a  foothold  to  scale  its 
precipitous  cliffs. 

Our  passage  was  a  charming  one  with  frowning  barren  crags 
to  our  left,  and  to  our  right  the  smooth  blue  sea,  dotted  with 
countless  bergs  of  endless  variety,  bright  and  beautiful  under 
Arctic  sunshine.  But  "  by  and  by  a  cloud  took  all  away,"  for 
a  dense  Arctic  fog  shut  quickly  down,  and  made  it  difficult  for 
our  sharp-eyed  Innuit  pilot  to  guide  the  Proteus  safely  to  anchor- 
age in  the  narrow  deep  fiord  which  separates  Ritenbenk  from 
Arveprins  Island. 

The  governor  bore  a  name  well  known  in  connection  with 
Greenland,  Morch.  Half  Dane,  half  Eskimo,  a  man  of  refine- 
ment and  sentiment,  he  had  been  educated  in  the  mother  coun- 
try, and  had  come  to  do  service  in  his  native  clime.  He  made 
us  at  home  in  Ritenbenk,  and  greeted  us  with  genuine  Scandi- 
navian hospitality.  The  same  old  Danish  brig,  Tialfe,  which 


48  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [July, 

Hayes  found  at  Upernivik  in  1860,  was  in  the  harbor,  and  we 
dined  with  the  governor  and  her  officers  that  evening.  At  the 
end  of  the  meal  the  old  Scandinavian  custom  of  grace,  by  uni- 
versal handshaking  and  the  salutation,  "  Much  good  may  it  do 
you,"  first  fell  under  my  notice. 

A  number  of  dogs,  with  additional  food  and  other  supplies, 
were  obtained  at  Ritenbenk.  The  new-comers  were  not  at  all 
welcomed  by  the  old  dogs,  and  a  series  of  battles  commenced 
which  never  ended  to  the  very  day  of  our  retreat. 

Mr.  Henry  Clay  joined  the  expedition  at  Eitenbenk,  as  a 
military  employe  at  a  nominal  salary.  The  grandson  of  Henry 
Clay  the  great  commoner,  a  cultivated,  refined  gentleman,  and 
an  ardent  sportsman,  he  had  become  thoroughly  imbued  with  a 
longing  for  Arctic  experiences.  He  had  joined  the  Howgate 
expedition  of  1880,  and  also  obtained  authority  to  accompany 
the  present  one,  and,  to  fit  himself  for  some  part  of  the  work, 
he  had  spent  the  preceding  year  with  Dr.  Pavy  in  Greenland. 

While  stores  were  being  purchased,  dogs  brought  on  board, 
and  accounts  adjusted,  and  as  the  fog  still  held,  I  sent  Lieu-  , 
tenant  Lockwood  with  a  boat's  crew  to  the  loomery  on  Arve- 
prins  Island  for  birds.  They  were  only  moderately  successful, 
owing  to  the  height  of  the  lower  ledges  above  the  sea,  and 
brought  back  but  sixty-five  Bruennich's  guillemots  (Alca  arra), 
which  were  simply  drawn,  and  hung  up  in  the  rigging  to  dry 
for  future  food. 

The  bird  cliffs  on  Arveprins  Island  deserve  a  passing  notice, 
not  for  Arctic  travellers,  but  for  the  general  reader. 

For  over  a  thousand  feet  out  of  the  sea  these  cliffs  rise  per- 
pendicularly, broken  only  by  narrow  ledges,  in  general  inacces- 
sible to  man  or  other  enemy,  which  afford  certain  kinds  of  sea- 
fowl  secure  and  convenient  breeding-places.  On  the  face  of 
these  sea-ledges  of  Arveprins  Island  Bruenuich's  guillemots,  or 


1881.]  THE  VOYAGE   TO   UPEKNIVIK.  49 

looms,  gather  in  the  breeding  season,  not  by  thousands,  but  by 
tens  of  thousands.  Each  lays  but  a  single  gray  egg,  speckled 
with  brown,  yet  so  numerous  are  the  birds,  that  eveiy  available 
spot  is  covered  with  eggs.  The  surprising  part  is  that  each 
bird  knows  its  own  egg,  although  there  is  no  nest  and  it  rests 
on  the  bare  rock.  Occasional  quarrels  over  an  egg  generally 
result  in  a  score  of  others  being  rolled  into  the  sea. 

The  clumsy,  short-winged  birds  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the 
sportsman,  provided  the  cliffs  are  not  too  high,  but  many  fall 
on  lower  inaccessible  ledges  and  so  uselessly  perish.  A  single 
shot  brings  out  thousands  on  the  wing,  and  the  unpleasant  cack- 
ling, which  is  continuous  when  undisturbed,  becomes  a  deafen- 
ing clamor  when  they  are  hunted. 

The  eggs  are  very  palatable.  The  flesh  is  excellent ;  to  my 
taste,  the  best  flavored  of  any  Arctic  sea-fowl,  but,  to  avoid  the 
slightly  train-oil  taste,  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the  bird  to  ripen, 
and  to  carefully  skin  it  before  cooking.  The  looms  obtained  on 
Arveprins  Island  and  Sanderson's  Hope  were  a  great  addition 
to  our  table  the  following  spring. 

The  little  auk  (Mergellus  alle)  and  the  dovekie  (Uria  grylle) 
similarly  breed  in  large  numbers  farther  north,  and  generally 
the  fulmar  (Procellaria  glacialis)  and  glaucous  gull  (Laru* 
glaucits)  resort  for  nesting  to  like  cliffs. 

If  you  go  to  Ritenbenk,  you  must  see  the  garden,  the  most 
famous  in  Northern  Greenland.  It  is  a  small  plot,  scarcely  fifty 
feet  by  forty,  surrounded  by  a  substantial  fence  to  keep  out  the 
ubiquitous  dog,  and  on  one  side  has  a  miniature  garden-house 
with  sashed  windows,  where  the  governor  sits  and  enjoys  the 
growing  vegetables,  which  comprise  lettuce,  onions,  radishes, 
parsley,  and  turnips.  The  soil  was  in  large  part  originally 
brought  from  Denmark,  and  has  been  supplemented  by  earth 

from  old  Greenland  houses,  and  so  is  rich  and  strong.      This 
4 


50  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [July, 

bright  spot  of  green  contrasted  most  delightfully  with  the  bleak, 
brownish  syenite  of  the  otherwise  barren  island. 

It  gave  me  much  pleasure,  sitting  awhile  in  the  summer- 
house,  to  listen  to  the  good  governor  and  enjoy  the  grand 
scenery,  while  I  heard,  in  answer  to  an  idle  question,  that  an  old 
Eskimo  over  the  mountain  towrard  Umanak  had  a  dozen  hens, 
which  laid  eggs  a  part  of  the  year,  and  which  he  traded  only  for 
schnapps. 

The  snowy  peaks  of  Kangek  half -veiled  in  curling  clouds  the 
lovely  blue  of  Disco  Bay,  and  the  countless  icebergs  ever  drift- 
ing southward  from  the  ice-fiords  near,  pleased  the  eye,  while 
the  torrents  of  Arveprins  Island  plunging  into  the  sea  made 
music  for  the  ear.  It  seems  now  to  me  the  most  idyllic  of  my 
Arctic  experiences. 

Ritenbenk  was  founded  in  1755.  It  is  situated  on  a  small 
island  of  the  same  name,  which  lies  to  the  eastward  of  the  more 
important  Arveprins  Island,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  a 
narrow,  deep  fiord.  The  scenery  around  it  was  truly  grand. 
In  general  bordering  the  shores  are  steep  cliffs,  broken  by  sharp, 
narrow  ravines,  all  deeply  scored  by  the  impetuous  Arctic  tor- 
rents which  throughout  the  short  summer  rush  headlong  into 
the  fiord. 

Opposite  to  Kitenbenk  the  twrin  peaks  of  Kangek  Mountain 
raise  their  heads  over  two  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  and  af- 
ford views  of  unequalled  magnificence. 

To  the  northeastward  a  clear  and  beautiful  prospect  is  had 
of  the  Torsukatak  ice-fiord  (one  of  the  five  remarkable  fiords  of 
Greenland),  from  which,  at  a  moderate  estimate,  five  million 
cubic  yards  of  ice  is  discharged  daily.  High  land  to  the  south- 
ward prevents  a  view  of  the  ice-fiord  of  Jacobshavn  (which  dis- 
charges more  than  double  the  amount  of  Torsukatak),  but  the 
entrance  to  it  can  be  noted.  This  fiord  is  interesting,  not  only 


o     £• 


1881.]  THE  VOYAGE  TO   UPERNIVIK.  51 

as  the  most  remarkable  ice-fiord,  with  its  central  glacier  point 
advancing  over  sixty  feet  into  the  sea  daily,  but  as  having  for 
many  years  been  thought  to  be  the  entrance  to  a  strait,  which 
was  believed  to  extend  to  the  east  coast,  and  to  divide  Green- 
land into  two  parts. 

From  Ritenbenk  we  steamed  slowly  northward  through  the 
Waigat  Strait,  which  separates  Disco  Island  from  the  main- 
land. Low  clouds  covered  in  many  places  the  high  land,  which 
on  either  hand  rose  from  three  to  four  thousand  feet  in  precipi- 
tous heights,  wrhich  generally  reached  the  very  sea  on  the  island, 
but  which  were  abutted  on  the  main-land  by  frequent,  gentle 
slopes,  covered  by  pleasing  verdure.  Along  the  Disco  coast  are 
a  number  of  coal-mines,  which  have  been  known  a  century  and 
a  half,  but  which  are  rarely  worked.  The  coal  answers  indiffer- 
ently for  steaming  purposes,  but  is  excellent  fuel  for  general 
use ;  many  expeditions  have  used  more  or  less  of  it. 

The  main-land  along  the  Waigat  is  the  Xoursuak  Peninsula, 
an  extensive  land,  far  from  the  inland  ice,  drained  by  one  of 
the  largest  rivers  in  Greenland,  and  clothed  with  a  vegetation 
of  remarkable  luxuriance.  Kear  its  extremity  is  the  most 
northerly  remains  which  are  from  other  than  Eskimo  hands,  a 
remarkable  ruin,  usually  called  the  Bear  Trap. 

We  were  not  ill-pleased  to  sight  Hare  Island,  and  enter  the 
free  sea  of  Baffin  Bay,  just  as  strong  wind  and  rain  came.  The 
navigation  of  the  Waigat  is  extremely  dangerous  in  foggy  and 
stormy  weather,  owing  to  the  thousands  of  icebergs  which  are 
ever  present  in  its  waters. 

Occasionally  the  clouds  broke,  and  afforded  fine  views  of 
the  rugged,  rock-bound  coast,  which  is  of  the  most  precipitous 
character.  Though  much  pleased  with  Svarte  Huk,  yet  our 
interest  centred  in  Sanderson's  Hope,  that  beautiful,  command- 
ing headland,  which  was  sighted  by  John  Davis  three  centuries 


52  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [July, 

ago.  The  capriciousness  of  an  Arctic  summer  cut  off  by  its  fog 
all  view  above  that  point,  and  we  lay  many  tedious  hours  off 
Upernivik  until  a  favoring  wind  rolled  back  the  curtain,  and 
allowed  our  native  pilot  to  show  us  the  safe  way  into  the 
wretched  cove  which  is  called  a  harbor. 

Our  first  experience  was  a  heavy  squall,  in  connection  with 
a  touch  of  the  Greenland  Foehn,  which  caused  the  chafing  and 
subsequent  breaking  of  one  of  the  hawsers,,  and  the  Proteus 
drifted  against  a  rock,  from  which  she  swung  free  without 
damage,  through  Captain  Pike's  prompt  measures. 

The  first  American  soldier  enlisted  in  Greenland  was  doubt- 
less Private  Maurice  Connell  of  the  expedition,  who  was  dis- 
charged by  expiration  of  term  of  service,  and  re-enlisted  at 
Upernivik. 

Inspector  Smith  had  arrived  before  us,  and  had  interested 
himself  in  the  supplies  wanted.  It  was  found  that  only  ten 
suits  of  clothing,  made  to  order  for  the  expected  Danish  inter- 
national station,  could  be  procured,  and  that  boots,  which  we 
much  needed,  could  only  be  had  by  a  week's  delay. 

The  two  Eskimo  dog-drivers  were  lacking,  but  two  men  at 
Proven  were  highly  recommended,  and  I  decided  to  send  for 
them.  As  Proven  was  some  fifty  miles  to  the  south,  it  was 
necessary  to  put  the  launch  Lady  Greely  (as  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  has  christened  her)  into  the  water.  A  severe  west- 
erly gale  prevented  sailing  on  the  25th,  but  the  next  day,  be- 
fore the  storm  had  subsided,  Lieutenant  Lockwood  started, 
accompanied  by  Governor  Elberg.  They  took  the  inside  pas- 
sage, between  the  islands  and  main-land,  but  it  was  necessary  at 
one  point  to  venture  into  the  open  sea.  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
returned  on  the  28th,  bringing  two  Eskimo,  Thorlip  Frederik 
Christiansen,  aged  thirty-five,  and  Jens  Edward,  aged  thirty- 
eight.  These  men  were  contracted  with,  and  joined  the  expe- 


1881.] 


THE   VOYAGE  TO   UPERNIVIK. 


53 


dition  the  same  day,  bringing  with  them  their  kayaks  and 
hunting  implements.  They  ever  proved  themselves  faithful, 
industrious,  honest,  and  truthful,  as  Inspector  Smith  pledged 
they  would. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  obtained  a  considerable  quantity  of 
skin  clothing  at  Proven,  and  Sergeant  Rice  made  several  pho- 
tographs. On  the  return  trip,  a  few  hours'  delay  at  Sanderson's 


Sergeant  Rice  and  Greenland  Eskimo.     (From  a  Photograph.) 

Hope  resulted  in  the  addition  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
birds  to  our  larder;  guillemots  (Bruennich's)  and  little  auks 
(Mergullus  alle).  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  at  the  same  loomery, 
had  also  obtained  three  hundred  and  five  auks  and  guillemots. 
An  Eskimo  who  accompanied  Lieutenant  Kislingbury's  party 
with  his  kayak  while  picking  up  birds  capsized,  and  not  hand- 
ling his  double-ended  paddle  with  sufficient  skill  to  recover 
himself,  would  have  perished  but  for  assistance  from  the  whale- 


THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


[July. 


boat,  which  was  promptly  rendered  by  Sergeants  Brainard  and 
Connell. 

During  these  days  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  Uper- 
nivik  and  its  surroundings.  The  name  in  Eskimo  means 
spring ;  but,  although  Inspector  Smith  told  me  that  in  fourteen 
years  it  had  not  before  been  so  green,  it  did  not  present  an  at- 
tractive appearance.  The  island,  though  not  very  rocky,  yet 
had  a  barren,  desolate  look,  with  but  few  spots  of  scanty  vege- 


Tasiusak. 
[The  most  Northerly  Settlement  of  Danish  Eskimo.'] 

tation.  From  the  highest  ground  there  is  a  view  of  Augpad- 
larsok  ice-fiord,  which  claimed  my  daily  attention.  The  fiord 
sends  out  thousands  of  icebergs  yearly,  and  its  glacier  front  is 
a  sight  to  be  long  remembered. 

To  the  northward  the  projecting,  rugged  coast  cut  off  the 
view  of  Tasiusak,  the  most  northerly  of  the  settlements  of  the 
Danish  Eskimo,  a  dreary  spot  difficult  of  access  and  rarely 
visited. 

Governor  Elberg  showed  much  courtesy  to  the  expedition, 


1881.]  THE  VOYAGE  TO  UPERNIVIK.  55 

but  his  greed  for  gain  appeared  to  have  overcome  that  sense  of 
honesty  which  is  so  general  in  Danish  Greenland.  His  prices 
for  supplies  were  very  high,  and  his  sale  of  infected  dogs 
caused  the  loss  of  the  greater  part  of  my  draught  animals,  and 
later  seriously  affected  our  geographical  success.  I  suspected 
disease  from  a  dog  hung  up  by  the  neck,  but  its  existence  was 
denied  by  him. 

The  usual  Greenland  hospitality  was  shown  us  at  Upernivik, 
not  only  by  Inspector  Smith  and  Governor  Elberg,  but  also  by 
the  gentle,  kindly-hearted  Danish  priest  and  his  good  wife. 
Greenland  hospitality  is  most  frequently  shown  in  what  seems 
to  be  the  only  possible  way  in  that  remote  country — by  the 
proffer  of  every  variety  of  wine  or  liquor  in  the  larder,  and  in 
urging  a  most  indiscriminate  participation  of  them.  It  requires 
much  tact,  judgment,  and  discretion  to  avoid  giving  offence  by 
refusing,  but  at  the  same  time,  to  escape  unpleasant  conse- 
quences, it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  do  so. 

At  last  the  unruly  dogs  were  on  board,  the  bewildering  ac- 
counts with  Danish  values  adjusted  and  settled,  the  winding 
channels  to  the  westward  between  rocky  islets  and  sunken 
ledges  safely  passed,  the  final  farewells  and  hearty  God-speeds 
uttered,  and  with  high  hopes  and  strong  courage  we  left  Uper- 
nivik and  civilization  behind,  to  adventure  the  dangers  of  the 
high  north. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MELVILLE    BAY   TO    FOKT    CONGER. 

"\TTE  ran  northward  until  Berry  Islands  were  sighted,  and, 
noting  the  entire  absence  of  ice,  other  than  the  nu- 
merous bergs  from  Augpadlarsok  fiord,  I  ordered  that  a  direct 
course  be  laid  for  Cape  York,  believing  that  the  "  middle  pas- 
sage "  would  be  both  practicable  and  safe  at  that  late  season 
of  the  year,  especially  as  the  spring  and  summer  had  been  so 
unusually  warm.  The  ship  was  running  at  full  speed  in  an  ice- 
less  sea  as  I  went  to  rest  at  midnight.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  we  had  long  been  in  the  region  of  perpetual  daylight,  if 
not  sunlight ;  for,  though  the  sun  sets  not  in  the  far  north, 
yet  the  prevalent  Arctic  fog  hides  his  face  for  days  at  a  time. 

Our  run  on  July  31st  was  through  an  open  sea,  in  which  no 
semblance  of  a  pack  was  noted  until  about  5  P.M.  It  then  con- 
sisted of  small  pieces  of  pancake  ice,  which  would  in  no  way 
interfere  with  the  progress  of  any  steaming  vessel ;  it  was 
scarcely  three  miles  long,  and  barely  reached  a  mile  or  two  to 
the  westward. 


MELVILLE  BAY  TO  FORT  CONGER.          57 

As  we  were  passing  the  northern  edge  of  this  pack,  a  Polar 
bear  was  descried  on  a  small  piece  of  pan-ice.  He  was  busily 
engaged  in  eating  a  young  seal  which  he  had  just  caught,  and 
apparently  did  not  notice  the  vessel  until  it  was  within  a  half 
mile  of  him.  He  ran  a  few  yards  from  the  seal,  but  later  re- 
turned to  it,  and,  strangely  enough,  seemed  much  disinclined  to 
leave  the  ice  for  the  water,  returning  to  the  floe  after  a  tem- 
porary plunge.  A  large  number  of  shots  were  fired  at  him 
from  the  vessel,  one  or  more  of  which  seemed  to  strike  him. 
The  Proteus  was  stopped  and  a  boat  lowered,  in  which  Lieu- 
tenants Kislingbury  and  Lockwood,  with  one  or  two  others, 
effected  his  capture.  He  was  killed  by  a  bullet,  probably  from 
Lieutenant  Kislingbury's  rifle,  but  for  many  days  there  were 
long  and  unsatisfactory  discussions  as  to  whom  should  be 
awarded  the  credit  for  his  death. 

Our  bear  was  a  young  one,  seven  feet  six  inches  long,  and 
probably  of  some  six  hundred  pounds  weight.  His  flesh  was 
quite  palatable,  more  so,  it  was  generally  considered,  than  that 
of  the  cinnamon  of  our  own  country.  He  was  photographed 
by  Sergeant  Rice,  and  skinned  by  the  Eskimo. 

No  further  ice  was  met  with,  and  at  4  P.M.  of  the  31st  the  mate 
and  quartermaster,  through  a  break  in  the  light  fog,  sighted 
land,  which  must  have  been  the  high  cliffs  of  Cape  York.  The 
fog  grew  denser,  instead  of  breaking  as  we  hoped,  and  obliged 
the  vessel  to  run  at  half  speed  until  8  A.M.,  when  the  speed  was 
reduced  to  steerage-way,  as  the  dead  reckoning  put  us  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Cape  York.  Later  the  fog  broke  for  a  few 
moments,  and  showed  land  some  five  miles  to  the  northward, 
but  closed  again  before  it  could  be  identified.  "We  were  obliged 
to  remain  under  steerage-way  during  the  rest  of  the  day,  and 
scarcely  ran  more  than  twenty  miles. 

The  remarkably  open  condition  of  Melville  Bay  had  enabled 


58 


THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


[July, 


us  to  make  an  unprecedented!}7  rapid  crossing,  but  thirty-six 
hours'  time  being  occupied  in  its  passage. 

The  ice  of  Melville  Bay  is  justly  dreaded,  but  in  latter  years, 
steam,  experience  and  modern  equipment  have  done  much  to 
insure  the  safety  of  its  regular  navigators,  the  hardy  whalers, 
who  brave  its  dangers  at  the  earliest  moment,  and  under  the 
most  unfavorable  conditions.  For  years  their  vessels  have 
been  boldly  pushed  into  the  ice  in  May,  and  at  least  two  sea- 


sons have  seen  them  in  the  "  North  Water,"  near  Cape  York, 
as  early  as  June  3d. 

Discovery-  and  relief -ships  have  hazarded  nearly  sixty  times 
the  perils  of  ice-navigation  within  its  limits,  and  invariably 
without  loss  of  life  or  vessel.  This  immunity  from  disaster 
has  arisen  from  their  usual  practice  of  attempting  the  passage 
of  Melville  Bay  much  later  than  the  whalers, — at  a  time  when 
navigation  is  substantially  safe, — in  July  or  August.  Except 
the  Relief  Squadron  of  1884,  and  McClintock  in  the  Fox,  I  re- 
call no  vessels  of  that  class  which  have  entered  its  ice  in  June. 

During  the  day  and  evening  the  compasses  unfortunately  gave 


1881.]  MELVILLE  BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER.  69 

us  much  trouble,  being  very  sluggish,  and  Consequently  unre- 
liable. 

Several  soundings,  from  six  to  eight  miles  west  and  southwest 
of  Cape  York,  gave  no  bottom  at  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 
fathoms.  A  layer  of  warm  water  was  found  between  the  sur- 
face and  the  greater  depth,  the  temperature  of  the  surface  vary- 
ing from  33.2°  to  35°;  at  five  fathoms,  35.7°  to  36.7°;  and 
at  one  hundred  and  eighty-fathoms,  31.5°. 

A  young  male  square-flipper  seal  (Phoca  larbata)  was  killed 
on  a  detached  ice-floe  during  the  day. 

On  the  morning  of  August  1st  the  fog  lifted,  and  the  vessel's 
position  was  found  to  be  about  twenty  miles  southwest  of 
Petowik  glacier,  which  lies  just  northward  of  "  The  Crimson 
Cliffs  "  of  Sir  John  Ross.  A  sounding  thirteen  miles  west  of 
the  glacier  gave  rocky  bottom  at  one  hundred  and  ten  fathoms, 
and  a  temperature  of  35°  at  surface  and  five  fathoms,  which  re- 
mained steady  as  we  ran  inward  and  obtained  a  second  sound- 
ing, with  mud  bottom  at  seventy-two  fathoms,  two  miles  off  the 
glacier  front.  The  heavy  sea  prevented  successful  photograph- 
ing of  the  glacier. 

Some  patches  of  snow  of  a  dirty  reddish  color  were  observed 
from  the  Petowik  glacier  northward  toward  "Wolstenholme 
Island,  being  without  doubt  drifts  of  the  famous  red  snow, 
first  discovered  by  Sir  John  Ross,  in  1818.  Though  desirous  of 
obtaining  specimens  of  Protococcus  nivalis,  which  gives  the 
color  to  this  snow,  I  was  unwilling  to  land  for  that  purpose 
alone.  The  vegetable  character  of  this  phenomena  has  been 
quite  clearly  settled  by  Dr.  Robert  Brown. 

At  10.15  A.M.  we  were  off  "Wolstenholme  Island,  and  at  1  P.M. 
left  it  behind,  as  we  laid  our  course  for  the  Gary  group. 

Icebergs,  which  were  rare  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  York, 
were  found  to  be  very  numerous  near  the  northern  end  of  Wol- 


60  THREE    YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [July, 

stenholme  Island,  and  in  one  of  these  a  large  spot  of  the  deep- 
est and  most  exquisite  blue  was  seen,  which  contrasted  finely 
with  the  bluish-white  'of  the  main  berg,  and  was  sufficiently 
marked  to  remain  visible  for  nearly  an  hour. 

The  Gary  Islands  were  sighted  at  3  P.M.,  and  about  two  hours 
later  the  Proteus  stopped  at  the  north  end  of  the  southeast 
island  of  the  group.  To  the  southward  of  this  island,  at  least 
thirty  large  icebergs  were  seen,  evidently  grounded,  but  else- 
where there  was  scarcely  a  particle  of  ice  in  sight. 

Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and  Dr.  Pavy  examined  the  cairn 
erected  by  Sir  George  Nares  in  1875,  and  visited  by  Sir  Allen 
Young  in  the  Pandora  (afterward  the  Jeanette)  later  that  year 
and  again  in  1876.  The  records  left  by  the  latter  officer  were 
found  in  good  condition,  wrapped  in  a  number  of  the  London 
Graphic.  A  copy  of  these  records  was  left,  and  a  short  note 
was  also  deposited,  giving  a  brief  account  of  our  visit  to  the 
island,  for  the  information  of  our  successors. 

The  enthusiastic  photographer  of  the  expedition,  assisted  by 
some  of  the  men,  succeeded  with  great  difficulty  in  transporting 
his  apparatus  to  the  summit  of  the  island,  which  is  some  five 
hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  and  obtained  a  photograph  of  the 
cairn.  The  island  is  so  rough  in  general  that  it  is  with  some 
trouble  that  an  unencumbered  man  can  ascend  the  greater  part 
of  its  cliffs.  Vegetation  was  exceedingly  scanty. 

The  depot  of  thirty-six  hundred  rations,  left  by  Sir  George 
Nares  in  1875,  was  found  in  a  small  cove  at  the  southern  point 
of  the  island.  The  supplies  were  located  on  a  rocky  shoulder, 
some  thirty  feet  above  the  sea,  which  commanded  Baffin  Bay  to 
the  southwestward.  The  depot  was  in  quite  good  condition, 
excepting  a  certain  portion  of  the  bread,  which  was  found  to  be 
somewhat  mouldy,  though  still  eatable.  The  bread  which  was 
bad  was  in  casks  which  had  been  left  with  the  head  upward, 


1881.]  MELVILLE  BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER.  61 

while  that  in  the  barrels,  which  were  on  their  sides,  appeared  to 
be  in  perfect  condition.  The  cans  of  Australian  beef  were  laid 
in  rows  on  the  sin-face  of  the  bare  rock,  so  that  they  had  been 
alternately  exposed  to  the  direct  heat  of  the  summer  sun  and 
subjected  to  intense  winter  cold  from  radiation.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  severe  trial,  the  cans  of  meat  tested  were  in  good  con- 
dition— strong  proof  of  their  original  good  quality. 

It  would  seem  advisable  that  caches  of  such  kind  should  be 
at  least  covered,  so  as  to  avoid  both  direct  sun  and  intense 
cold.  Thus  protected  they  would  longer  remain  serviceable. 

The  whale-boat  was  carefully  examined,  and  found  to  be 
in  serviceable  condition,  despite  the  long  time  it  had  been 
cached. 

Quite  a  number  of  pieces  of  drift-wood  were  found  upon 
the  western  shore  of  the  island,  among  which  were  a  worn  but 
still  serviceable  oar,  and  a  charred  piece  of  the  ornamental  work 
of  a  ship.  I  am  informed  that  the  whaler  Xanthus  was  burned 
the  previous  year  just  north  of  Tasiusak.  It  is  probable  that 
the  burnt  wood  was  from  the  Xanthus,  as  it  evidently  had  not 
been  exposed  any  very  great  length  of  time  to  the  action  of  the 
sea.  The  fragment  was  in  any  event  of  an  old  vessel,  as  it  had 
originally  been  painted  red  and  yellow,  and  later  a  coat  of 
white  had  overlain  it. 

The  presence  of  this  drift-wood  is  interesting,  as  showing 
that  a  northwest  current  extends  occasionally  this  far  to  the 
northward  in  Baffin  Bay.  Inglefield  mentions  finding  near 
Cape  Atholl  a  portion  of  a  ship's  deck,  which  was  evidently 
part  of  an  American  whaler  which  had  been  lost  in  Melville 
Bay  that  year.  He  considered  this  as  giving  evidence  of  the 
strong  northerly  current  along  that  coast,  especially  as  the  frag- 
ment had  drifted  so  far  in  a  few  weeks  despite  the  heavy 
northerly  gales. 


62  THREE   TEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

Sir  George  Nares,  in  1875,  experienced  a  southerly  current, 
which  is  doubtless  the  prevailing  one. 

We  left  the  Gary  Islands  at  8  P.M.,  and  five  hours  later 
were  abreast  of  Hakluyt  Island,  which  is  particularly  interesting, 
as  being  the  farthest  land  touched  by  William  Baffin  in  1616, 
although  he  sailed  some  eight  leagues  to  the  northward  of  this 
point.  Inglefield  was  hardly'  fair  to  the  old  explorer  when  he 
claimed  Northumberland  and  the  adjacent  isles  as  newly  discov- 


"  An  Hand  we  called  Hakluit's  lie." 
[Ba.fflri's  Farthest  Land,  July  4,  1616.] 

ered,  for  it  is  evident  that  Baffin  must  have  seen  these  islands 
as  well  as  Hakluyt,  although  the  map  of  his  remarkable  discov- 
eries of  1616  is  lost  to  the  world. 

From  Cape  Chalon  northward  a  close  watch  was  kept  upon 
the  main-land,  in  hopes  some  Etah  natives  might  be  seen  and 
communicated  with  by  us. 

The  remarkable  tabulated  masses  of  land  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Cape  Alexander  have  been  made  familiar  to  the  world 
by  the  vivid  descriptions  of  Kane  and  Hayes,  with  whose  labors 
they  must  ever  be  associated. 

To  the  southward  of  that  cape  the  great  Mer  de  Glace  is 


1881.]  MELVILLE   BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER.  63 

nearly  always  in  sight  from  the  open  sea,  and,  being  a  predom- 
inating feature  in  the  landscape,  naturally  conveys  a  sense  of 
barrenness  and  desolation ;  but  to  the  northward  the  inland  ice 
has  retreated  far  from  the  sea,  leaving  the  land  free  from  ice  or 
snow,  and  broken  in  at  many  points  by  fertile  valleys,  which 
impress  themselves  more  strongly  upon  one  through  their  con- 
trast with  the  shores  just  passed. 

Along  the  coast  only  an  occasional  bit  of  ice-foot  was  seen, 
and  in  the  sea  but  a  single  berg  and  a  few  pieces  of  floe-ice  to 
the  southward  of  Littleton  Island. 

Pandora  Harbor  was  passed  at  10  A.M.,  and  at  noon  the 
Proteus  anchored  between  Cape  Ohlsen  and  Littleton  Island. 

Lieutenant  Ivislingbury,  with  a  party  including  the  Eskimo, 
was  sent  to  Life-Boat  Cove  to  examine  the  winter  quarters  of 
the  crew  of  the  Polaris,  and  open  communication  with  the  *E tali 
Eskimo,  if  any  could  be  found.  They  brought  back  the  transit 
instrument,  which  was  found  badly  damaged  about  fifteen  feet 
from  the  cairn  in  which  it  had  been  originally  deposited. 
Polaris  house  had  entirely  disappeared,  but  its  site  was  marked 
by  a  cooking-stove,  steam-gauge,  and  many  different  pieces  of 
metal,  but  no  wood.  A  thermometer  scale  was  found  which 
belonged  to  an  instrument  manufactured  by  Tagliabue,  scaled 
from  120°  down  to  minus  100°,  and  on  which  the  name  of  Hall 
had  been  scratched  with  some  pointed  instrument. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  improved  our  stay  by  landing  a  quan- 
tity of  coal  on  the  extreme  southwestern  point  of  Littleton 
Island,  the  only  article  of  our  supplies  which  could  well  be 
spared. 

While  these  parties  were  thus  engaged,  I  thoroughly  exam- 
ined the  island  for  the  purpose  of  finding  the  mail  which  had 
been  landed  there  in  1876,  for  the  Xares  expedition,  by  Sir  Allen 
Young.  Some  fifty  cairns,  great  and  small,  were  found,  none 


64  THREE   YEARS   OF   AKCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

of  which  contained  a  record  save  one,  which  informed  us  that 
the  whaler  Erik,  under  Captain  Walker,  touched  at  the  island 
June  20,  1876.  Six  hours'  fruitless  search  on,  foot  had  no  re- 
sults ;  but  later,  taking  a  boat,  I  followed  the  coast  with  two 
men,  along  the  shore  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  yards  from  the 
water's  edge,  so  as  to  cover  the  entire  ground,  and  eventually 
succeeded  in  discovering  the  mail  at  the  extreme  northern  end 
of  the  west  coast,  some  thirty  yards  from  the  water's  edge. 
Four  boxes  and  three  casks  of  mail  matter  were  discovered, 
marked  by  a  very  small  cairn,  which  contained  no  record. 

On  the  western  coast  of  the  island  I  also  found  a  wet  wad 
of  paper,  which  was  carefully  dried,  and  examined  a  few  days 
later.  It  seemed  to  show  conclusively  that  the  Nares  cairn  had 
been  opened,  probably  by  the  Eskimo,  as  the  paper  proved  to 
be  part  of  the  London  Standard,  dated  May  IT,  1875,  in  which 
was  contained  intact  an  account  of  a  lecture  of  Captain  Nares 
on  the  Arctic  expedition,  delivered  at  Winchester  Guildhall, 
April  30,  1875. 

While  at  Littleton  Island,  walrus  were  found  in  considerable 
numbers.  The  party  which  visited  Life-Boat  Cove  encountered 
a  herd  near  that  point.  Two  of  the  animals,  a  female  and  her 
calf,  were  fired  at  and  wounded.  The  calf  sank,  and  was  possi- 
bly killed.  The  female,  after  one  plunge,  came  again  to  the  sur- 
face, and,  infuriated  by  her  wounds,  rapidly  approached  the  boat, 
evidently  with  hostile  intentions.  The  Eskimo,  who  better  than 
the  rest  realized  the  danger,  counselled  a  retreat,  but  two  shots 
at  a  few  yards  caused  the  walrus  to  dive  again,  and  she  appeared 
no  more.  The  boat  landing  coal  had  similar  experiences,  except 
that  the  entire  herd  when  fired  on  rapidly  approached  the  boat 
with  threatening  actions,  but  drew  off  when  very  near.  Their 
great  strength,  enormous  size,  and  ferocious  appearance  are  very 
trying  to  inexperienced  hunters,  and  these  qualities,  added  to 


1881.]  MELVILLE   BAY   TO   FORT  CONGER.  65 

fearlessness  and  curiosity,  make  it  a  dangerous  animal  to  attack 
in  its  own  element. 

The  full-grown  walrus  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  in 
length,  has  a  small,  short  head,  with  strong  bristles  about  the 
size  of  large  darning-needles.  The  broad  fore  and  hind  paws 
are  about  two  feet  long,  and  the  tusks  of  adults  generally  about 
a  foot  and  a  half,  although  they  have  been  known  to  exceed 
thirty  inches,  in  length.  The  tusks  of  the  female  are  much  more 
slender  than  those  of  the  male.  They  are  very  gregarious,  and 
seem  to  find  a  certain  pleasure  in  frequent  bellowing,  by  ex- 
pelling the  air  through  their  nostrils. 

The  northern  portion  of  Littleton  Island  appeared  to  be  a 
favorite  resort  of  eider  ducks.  Hundreds  were  found  nesting, 
but  from  the  lateness  of  the  season  the  eggs  were  unfit  for  eat- 
ing. The  nests  were  beds  of  rich,  soft  down,  which  were  but 
partly  concealed  by  adjacent  rocks  or  vegetation.  The  female 
birds  left  their  nests  with  great  reluctance,  and  only  when 
approached  within  a  few  yards.  Our  larder  was  increased  by 
only  eleven  ducks,  as  no  time  was  given  to  hunting. 

Private  Henry  discovered  at  a  low  point  on  the  south  side 
of  Littleton  Island,  opposite  Cape  Ohlsen,  the  remains  of  an 
Eskimo  woman  buried  in  an  old  Eskimo  house.  The  house 
was  carefully  examined  by  me,  and  evidently  had  been  at  some 
time  a  permanent  habitation.  Not  only  the  house  itself,  but 
the  external  surroundings,  and  the  rank  and  luxuriant  vegetation 
near,  were  quite  conclusive  on  that  point.  From  the  location  of 
the  body,  it  is  possible  that  this  was  the  last  of  a  family.  Ingle- 
field  states,  that  a  winter  hut  at  Bardin  Bay  was  found  blocked 
up  by  a  stone,  which  removed  disclosed  the  dead  body  of  a 
man  within,  and  he  was  advised  that  it  was  a  frequent  custom 
to  let  the  house  form  the  tomb  for  the  last  of  a  family. 

An  accident  had  occurred  to  the  wheel  just  after  passing 
5 


66  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug  , 

Cape  Alexander,  and  the  stop  at  Littleton  Island  was  improved 
by  putting  it  in  order,  which  delayed  us  until  nearly  midnight. 

I  should  have  been  glad  to  have  visited  Hayes'  old  winter- 
quarters  in  Port  Foulke,  a  few  miles  south  of  Littleton  Island, 
in  hopes  of  seeing  some  of  his  old  Etah  friends,  but  lack  of 
time  forbade. 

The  view  from  Littleton  Island  to  the  northward  some  forty 
miles  showed  the  sea  entirely  free  from  ice.  Aware  of  the  ex- 
treme rapidity  with  which  ice  conditions  change  in  that  sea,  I 


Port  Foulke. 
[  Winter-quarters  of  Dr.  Hayes,  lyGO-Cl.] 


decided  not  to  touch  at  Cape  Sabine  to  examine  the  sledging 
depot  at  that  point,  but  to  shape  a  direct  course  for  Cape 
Hawks. 

Cape  Sabine  was  passed  about  2  A.M.,  and  shortly  after 
small  amounts  of  floe-ice  were  seen,  but  not  in  sufficient  quan- 
tities to  form  even  an  open  pack.  To  the  westward,  in  Bu- 
chanan Strait,  what  appeared  to  be  an  ice-foot  was  seen,  but 
from  later  experiences  I  am  satisfied  that  it  was  a  series  of  low 
floes,  or  more  probably  the  unbroken  ice  of  the  previous  winter. 

At  4  A.M.  a  seemingly  close  pack  was  seen  to  the  eastward, 


1881.]  MELVILLE  BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER.  67 

but  later  it  developed  into  stream-ice  of  small  extent.  I  came 
on  deck  at  that  time,  and  found  our  position  to  be  off  Cape 
Camperdown.  The  scene  then  was  one  of  remarkable  beauty, 
and,  rather  than  an  Arctic  night,  seemed  to  recall  a  bracing  Oc- 
tober morning  in  New  England.  It  was  probably  about  the 
turn  of  the  tide,  as  the  entire  sea  was  as  smooth  as  a  mill-pond. 
In  occasional  places  during  the  night,  a  bare  film  of  new  ice 
had  formed  which  indicated  the  approach  of  winter. 

At  4.30  A.M.  we  were  opposite  the  centre  of  Bache  Island, 
and  from  its  appearance  to  me  at  that  time,  from  the  bridge  of 
the  Proteus,  I  could  readily  understand  how  Hayes  mistook 
the  single  island  for  two.  A  long,  broad  valley  separated  Vic- 
toria Head  from  Cape  Albert,  and  its  vanishing  point  was  many 
miles  to  the  westward. 

The  vessel  was  stopped  a  few  moments,  in  order  to  obtain 
a  photograph  of  Bache  Island  and  the  land  to  the  westward. 
The  landscape  at  that  time  was  one  of  unusual  interest.  The 
sun  appeared  especially  brilliant,  the  sky  was  free  from  all 
except  a  few  delicate  cirrus-clouds,  and  the  air  was  in  that  state 
of  visibility  which  renders  the  outlines  of  distant  objects  par- 
ticularly sharp  and  distinct.  The  entire  coast  of  Ellesmere  and 
Grinnell  Lands  was  not  only  visible  through  the  air,  but  its 
image  was  perfectly  reflected  from  the  smooth  sea.  The  view 
of  that  shore  was  clear  and  distinct,  from  Cape  Sabine  north- 
ward to  Cape  Napoleon.  To  the  southeastward,  near  Yan 
Rensselaer  Harbor,  made  immortal  by  the  heroism  of  Kane,  the 
highlands  were  plainly  visible. 

Although  the  expedition,  as  a  rule,  was  little  given  to  senti- 
ment or  enthusiasm,  yet  the  scene  and  its  conditions  caused 
general  excitement  and  the  deepest  feeling.  But  three  vessels 
had  ever  before  attained  so  high  a  latitude  in  those  waters,  and 
none  with  such  ease  ;  and  the  appearance  of  these  Arctic  lands, 


68  THREE   TEAKS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

devoid,  as  a  rule,  of  snow,  and  glorified  by  the  rays  of  the  au- 
tumn sun,  presented  a  prospect  which  was  entirely  different  in 
its  details  from  any  we  had  ever  anticipated.  The  stern  gran- 
deur and  desolation  which  are  marked  characteristics  of  Arctic 
landscapes  were  not  wanting,  but  the  poetical  picturesqueness 
and  delicate  beauty  of  the  scene  were  its  predominant  features. 

The  absence  of  ice  was  particularly  marked.  The  north 
end  of  Baclie  Island  was  reached  at  5  A.M.,  and  at  that  time  but 
few  pieces  of  floe-  or  harbor-ice  could  be  seen  in  Kane  Sea,  and 
but  two  bergs  were  sighted  from  Cape  Sabine  to  Cape  Hawks. 

To  the  northward  of  Bache  Island,  the  ice  of  the  previous 
winter  still  remained  solid  and  unbroken  in  Princess  Marie 
Bay,  to  the  westward  of  Norman  Lockyer  Island. 

A  photographic  view  of  Cape  Hawks  and  the  coast  to  the 
northward  was  obtained  at  a  point  some  eight  miles  distant 
from  that  cape,  which,  though  not  valuable  as  a  photograph, 
was  useful  for  topographical  purposes. 

Cape  Hawks  was  passed,  and  the  Proteus  stopped  at  9  A.M. 
opposite  the  rocky  ledge  in  Dobbin  Bay  on  which  the  English 
depot  of  1875  had  been  cached. 

"While  Sergeant  Rice,  the  photographer,  was  diligently  ply- 
ing his  profession  from  a  large  floe  of  harbor-ice,  I  visited  the 
depot  and  carefully  examined  its  contents.  At  the  time  of  our 
visit  the  tide  was  low,  and  at  the  edge  of  the  land  we  were 
confronted  by  a  perpendicular  ice-wall  of  eight  to  ten  feet  in 
height,  which  was  scaled  with  some  little  difficulty. 

Seven  casks  of  bread,  aggregating  twenty-seven  hundred 
pounds ;  two  casks  of  stearine,  of  four  hundred  pounds ;  one 
barrel  of  preserved  potatoes,  two  hundred  and  ten  pounds  ;  two 
kegs  of  pickles,  and  two  partly  filled,  kegs  of  rum,  composed 
the  remains  of  the  depot.  These  articles  were  in  good  condi- 
tion, except  a  portion  of  the  bread,  which  was  mouldy,  though 


1881.]  MELVILLE  BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER.  69 

generally  eatable.  The  casks  had  been  deposited  on  a  ledge  of 
uneven  surface,  and  the  melting  snow  in  summer  had  gathered  in 
pools  around,  and  later  had  frozen  them  from  an  eighth  to  one- 
half  deep  in  solid  ice.  The  casks  were  all  cut  out  of  the  ice 
and  placed  in  such  location  as  would  better  protect  them  from 
the  moisture.  A  half-filled  keg  of  rum,  the  piccalilli,  and  sam- 
ple cases  of  the  preserved  potatoes  were  taken  with  us,  as  well 
as  the  jolly-boat,  which  was  also  cached  there.  Insufficient 
means  had  not  allowed  the  proper  equipment  of  the  expedition 
with  boats,  or  this  would  have  remained  undisturbed  at  Cape 
Hawks. 

The  excellent  workmanship  and  fitness  of  this  boat  for 
Arctic  service  was  exemplified  by  the  fact  that,  despite  its  six 
years'  exposure  to  the  dry  Arctic  atmosphere,  it  was  yet  in  such 
condition  that,  though  leaking,  it  was  seaworthy  at  once.  It 
was  named  the  Yalorous,  from  the  ship  to  which  it  formerly 
belonged. 

The  cache  at  Cape'  Hawks,  deposited  by  the  English  in 
1875,  was  one  of  the  two  principal  depots  established  under  the 
advice  and  direction  of  a  board  of  Arctic  experts,  who  had 
'given  the  subject  of  exploration  by  the  Smith  Sound  route 
careful  and  considerate  attention.  The  second  depot  consisted, 
equally  with  that  of  Cape  Hawks,  of  thirty-six  hundred  rations, 
and  was  the  one  which  had  been  visited  by  us  August  1st,  at 
Southeast  Cary  Island.  The  very  small  cache  established  at 
Payer  Harbor,  Cape  Sabine,  was  for  use,  as  Sir  George  Nares 
said,  of  any  possible  sledge  party  travelling  in  that  direction. 
It  contained  only  two  hundred  and  fifty  sledging  rations  and  a 
small  quantity  of  dog-food. 

It  is  now  evident  to  the  whole  world  that  Cape  Sabine  is 
the  key  of  Smith  Sound,  but  such  fact  was  by  no  means  clear 
to  the  English  Arctic  board,  while  the  problem  was  an  unre- 


70  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

solved  one.  If  the  English  expedition  of  1875  had  lost  their 
ships,  the  four  weeks'  provisions  at  Cape  Hawks  could  never 
have  carried  their  crews  to  Southeast  Gary  Island,  except  under 
favorable  conditions,  which  rarely  occur  in  Kane  Sea.  This 
statement,  showing  that  the  views  of  the  highest  and  most  com- 
petent Arctic  authorities  were  followed  in  our  original  plan,  by 


Washington  Irving  Island. 
[Opposite  Cape  ffawks.] 

no  means  precludes  the  admission  that  Cape  Sabine  should 
have  been  provisioned  at  that  time. 

Five  walruses  were  seen  at  Cape  Hawks,  which,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  observations  of  the  English  on  Korman  Lockyer 
Island,  indicate  that  these  animals  yearly  frequent  that  part  of 
Kane  Sea. 

The  serial  sea  temperatures  at  Cape  Hawks  showed  a  fall  in 
the  temperature  of  the  water  since  Cape  Sabine  had  been 


1881.]  MELVILLE   BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER,  71 

passed  ;  that  of  the  surface  being  32.3°,  and  at  thirty  fathoms 
30.7°. 

The  vegetation  at  Cape  Hawks  and  on  Washington  Irving 
Island  was  scanty  and  stunted.  Three  varieties  only  of  plants 
were  found  on  the  main-land  and  eight  on  the  island. 

As  the  Proteus  passed  Washington  Irving  Island,  we  picked 
up  our  photographer,  as  well  as  Dr.  Pavy  and  Lieutenant 
Lockwood,  who  had  been  searching  the  cairn  on  the  island. 
The  latter  officer  brought  back  Captain  Xares'  record  of  Au- 
gust, 18T5,  and  September,  1876,  which  gave  a  brief  account 
of  his  visit  and  action.  Copies  of  these  papers  were  left,  and 
a  new  record  added,  which  gave  briefly  our  experiences  to 
date.  The  old  cairn  was  carefully  rebuilt. 

The  harbor-ice  of  Dobbin  Bay  was  solid  and  unbroken.  Its 
margin  reached  the  north  end  of  Washington  Irving  Island,  so 
that  we  were  obliged  to  pass  to  the  southward  on  leaving  Cape 
Hawks. 

At  3  P.M.  Cape  Frazer  was  reached,  from  which  Washing- 
ton Land  of  Kane  was  first  sighted,  the  high  land  to  the  north- 
ward of  Cass  Bay  showing  up  clearly.  This  point,  Cape  Fra- 
zer, is  a  notable  one  in  more  than  one  respect.  It  was  Hayes' 
farthest  thirty  years  ago,  while  serving  as  a  surgeon  with  Kane, 
and  it  is  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  this  cape  that  the 
Atlantic  tide,  surging  northward  through  Davis  Strait  and 
Smith  Sound,  meets  its  sister  tide  twelve  hours  older,  which 
has  passed  northward  by  the  Spitzbergen  Sea,  and  rounding 
Cape  Washington  has  flowed  southward  through  the  Polar 
Ocean  and  Robeson  Channel. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  this  point  the  first  palaeocrystic  floe- 
bergs  fell  under  our  observation.  To  the  uninitiated,  rough 
and  heavy  field-ice,  which  has  been  increased  in  thickness  by 
under-running  or  doubled  up  by  pressure,  may  be  mistaken  for 


72  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

palaeocrystic,  but  the  latter  ice  once  seen  the  mistake  never  oc- 
curs again.  Its  identity  is  unmistakable. 

Four  floe-bergs  only  were  seen,  two  to  the  northward  and 
two  to  the  southward  of  Frazer,  and  no  palaeocrystic  floe  was 
met  until  Cape  Baird  was  reached. 

At  5  P.M.  Cape  McClintock  was  passed  and  the  eightieth 
parallel  crossed.  Scoresby  Bay  was  not  only  full  of  harbor-ice, 
evidently  unbroken  that  year,  but  a  delicate  fringe  of  new  ice 
at  its  margin  extended  a  mile  or  more  into  the  sea. 

Fog  and  drizzling  rain  set  in  shortly  after,  obliging  us  to 
run  at  half -speed.  It  was  so  dense  on  sighting  Cape  Collinson, 
at  5.30,  that  I  did  not  feel  justified  in  attempting  the  examina- 
tion of  the  small  depot  there  cached,  particularly  as  its  exact 
location  was  not  known,  and  the  search  would  have  necessitated 
securing  the  vessel  in  Hichardson  Bay.  At  10  P.M.  the  fog 
was  so  dense  that  the  vessel  was  kept  merely  under  steerage- 
way  during  the  rest  of  the  night. 

The  fog  lifted  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  sufficiently  to  al- 
low an  hour's  run,  and  Franklin  Island  was  passed  about  noon. 
We  obtained  a  sounding  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  fathoms 
with  no  bottom,  at  a  point  some  eight  miles  southwest  of  that 
island.  To  the  southeast,  a  close,  hummocky  pack  was  sighted, 
which  was  of  such  limited  extent  that  from  the  "  crow's-nest " 
open  water  was  visible  on  both  sides. 

At  noon  Kennedy  Channel  was  entirely  free  from  fog,  and 
both  coasts  showed  up  plainly,  from  Cape  Constitution  to  Po- 
laris Promontory  to  the  east,  and  from  Cape  Lawrence  to  Cape 
Def  osse  to  the  west. 

I  decided  to  establish  a  small  depot  in  Carl  Hitter  Bay,  and 
while  the  Proteus  remained  in  the  extreme  northeastern  por- 
tion, I  went  on  shore  with  a  party  and  cached  two  hundred 
pounds  of  meat  and  about  two  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of 


1881.]  MELVILLE  BAY  TO  FORT  CONGER.  73 

bread.  The  pemmican  and  hard  bread  in  water-tight  casks, 
were  placed  on  a  high  bench  on  the  north  side  of  a  creek  about 
a  half  mile  southwest  of  the  cape  near  Mount  Ross. 

This  creek  was  of  moderate  size,  and  drained  a  valley  of  con- 
siderable extent,  which  extended  to  the  northwestward.  The 
vegetation  seemed  more  abundant  than  at  Cape  Hawks,  and 
eight  varieties  of  flowers  were  gathered  during  our  brief  stay, 
but  the  general  appearance  was  of  desolation. 

Lieutenant  Kislingbury  travelled  up  the  valley  a  short  dis- 
tance, and  traces  of  musk-cattle,  hare,  and  fox  were  found. 

A  number  of  delicate  star-fish  and  crustaceans  were  ob- 
tained in  a  sounding  of  forty-two  fathoms  half  a  mile  off  the 
shore. 

The  designation  of  the  indentation  at  that  point  as  a  bay 
would  seem  to  be  a  courtesy  on  the  part  of  our  English  cousins 
toward  Dr.  Hayes,  who  located  there  an  inlet  some  twenty -five 
miles  deep.  The  actual  indentation  is  so  slight,  and  the  curve 
so  great,  that  it  is  a  bight  rather  than  a  bay. 

On  our  passage  northward,  Richardson  and  Rawlings  Bays 
were  not  seen  by  us,  but  all  indentations  sighted  were  filled  with 
unbroken  harbor-ice.  Carl  Ritter  Bay  itself  was  free  of  such 
ice,  which  must  originally  have  formed  so  intimate  a  part  of 
the  main  pack  that  it  must  have  moved  out  in  the  first  break 
up  of  the  year. 

From  Littleton  Island  northward  the  number  and  variety  of 
birds  rapidly  decreased,  and  north  of  the  eightieth  parallel  only 
dovekies  had  been  observed  until  we  left  Carl  Ritter  Bay,  when 
a  Greenland  falcon  (Falco  candicans)  was  seen. 

At  8  P.M.  off  Cape  Lieber,  a  large  number  of  heavy  floes 
were  met  with,  which  pressed  against  the  coast  and  obliged  the 
Proteus  to  make  a  considerable  detour  to  the  eastward.  In  pass- 
ing the  ice  near  Cape  Lieber,  for  the  first  time  in  our  voyage. 


74  THREE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE.  [Aug., 

the  "  crow's-nest "  was  of  practical  benefit  to  us.  At  9  P.M.  we 
entered  the  extreme  southeastern  part  of  Lady  Franklin  Bay, 
about  two  miles  southeast  of  Cape  Baird. 

On  nearing  that  cape  we  met  a  close,  heavy  pack,  and  for 
the  first  time  in  our  remarkable  voyage  were  stopped  by  ice. 
We  ran  seven  or  eight  miles  to  the  eastward  in  hopes  that  a 
lead  to  the  northward  might  present  itself.  The  result  of  our 
observations  showed  a  dense  polar  pack  of  palseocrystic  floes, 
cemented  together  by  thinner  ice,  which  extended  in  a  semi- 
circle from  Cape  Baird  to  the  Greenland  coast  above  Cape 
Tyson.  These  floes  ranged  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  feet  in 
thickness,  and  proved  to  be  veritable  islands  of  ice — the  true 
palseocrystic  floes  of  Kares. 

We  returned  to  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Baird,  and  tied 
up  to  the  pack  to  await  future  -movements  of  the  ice. 

On  August  5th,  with  a  small  party,  I  visited  and  examined 
carefully  Cape  Lieber,  which  was  about  four  miles  distant. 
The  precipitous  cliffs  rise  some  two  thousand  feet  from  the  sea, 
and  it  is  possible  to  scale  them  only  at  one  point,  through  a 
rugged,  rocky  ravine,  which  the  summer  stream  in  course  of 
ages  has  wTorn  through  the  disintegrated  rock.  The  ascent  was 
made  only  with  great  difficulty.  Lieutenant  Lock  wood  and  Dr. 
Pavy  climbed  different  peaks  at  the  extreme  summit,  which  was 
entirely  barren,  save  miniature  glaciers  in  two  places.  No  cairn 
of  any  kind  was  in  sight,  though  any  present  could  not  have 
failed  to  meet  the  eye,  nor  were  there  any  other  traces  of  a  pre- 
vious visit.  TWTO  small  cairns  were  erected  by  our  party. 

The  Grinnell  Land  coast  was  visible  many  miles  to  the 
northward,  a  rugged,  bold  highland,  although  its  mountain 
masses  presented  to  the  eye  very  gently  rounded  contours,  with 
no  distinctly  rising  peak  in  any  direction. 

Through  the  pack  in  Hall  Basin  there  were  many  lanes  of 


1881.]  MELVILLE   BAY  TO   FOKT   CONGER.  75 

water  visible,  and  the  general  movement  of  the  detached  pieces 
showed  a  southward  tendency. 

That  evening  we  were  able  to  advance  about  a  mile  toward 
Discovery  Harbor,  through  a  large  number  of  floes  breaking  off 
and  drifting  slowly  southward. 

During  the  day  a  number  of  schools  of  white  whales  (Beluga 
catadori)  were  seen,  there  being  as  many  as  thirty  at  one  time. 
Mr.  Norman,  the  mate  of  the  Proteus,  saw  with  them  their 
active  enemy,  a  sword-fish  (Orca  gladiator,  Bonn.) 

On  the  6th  a  number  of  narwhals  (Monodon  monoceros) 
were  seen,  and  another  school  of  white  whales.  The  two  Es- 
kimo pursued  them  in  their  kayaks,  and  Jens  succeeded  in  strik- 
ing a  narwhal,  but  after  an  exciting  struggle,  during  which  he 
came  to  the  surface  of  the  water  twice,  the  animal  managed  to 
break  the  line  and  carried  away  the  harpoon  with  him. 

The  white  whale  is  from  twelve  to  eighteen  feet  in  length, 
and  yields  not  far  from  a  thousand  pounds  each  of  meat  and 
blubber.  It  is  a  very  beautiful  animal,  with  a  smooth,  un- 
wrinkled  hide,  which  is  of  waxy-white  color  in  adults,  but  of  a 
light  grayish  brown  in  the  young.  They  are  very  active,  swim 
with  great  rapidity,  and  usually  travel  in  schools.  In  Greenland 
from  five  to  six  hundred  are  caught  yearly,  almost  all  by  nets. 
The  skin,  called  "mattak"  by  the  Eskimo,  is  esteemed  a  great 
dainty  in  Danish  Greenland  when  fresh,  and  that  eaten  by  me 
tasted  like  a  superior  kind  of  tripe.  It  is  much  valued  as  an 
anti-scorbutic,  and  we  obtained  a  considerable  quantity  of  it 
dried,  in  which  condition  it  resembles  pieces  of  inferior  glue. 

The  narwhal,  or  unicorn,  is  of  a  yellowish-white  color,  mot- 
tled with  dark  grayish  spots  in  the  adult.  In  the  young  both 
ground-color  and  spots  are  of  considerably  darker  shade  than  in 
the  full  grown.  The  strikingly  characteristic  feature  in  the 
male  is  an  abnormally  long  tooth  projecting  from  the  left  side 


76  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

of  the  upper  jaw,  its  fellow  of  the  right  side  being  almost  al- 
ways undeveloped.  In  the  females  both  teeth  are  immature,  as 
a  rule.  This  tusk  is  sometimes  developed  to  a  length  of  ten 
feet,  and,  as  the  body  is  not  much  longer,  it  gives  the  animal  a 
most  striking  appearance. 

The  tusk  points  slightly  downward,  is  nearly  straight,  is 
spirally  striated,  tapers  to  a  blunt  point,  and  is  of  a  yellowish- 
white  substance,  denser  and  harder  than  ivory.  The  spirals 


Narwhal  Skull. 
[Showing  Abnormal  Development  of  Tooth  In  Left  Side,  Upper  Jaw.  ] 

terminate  some  six  inches  from  the  point,  which  is  smooth  and 
white  as  if  from  constant  use.  The  tusk  varies  in  thickness 
from  two  to  three  inches  at  the  base,  and  from  one-third  to 
one-half  inch  at  the  point.  Its  use  is  not  definitely  known,  but 
most  probably  it  serves  as  a  weapon,  as  but  few  are  obtained  in 
perfect  condition.  The  animals  are  quick  swimmers,  active, 
gregarious,  not  easily  alarmed,  and  are  often  found  with  the 
white  whale,  which  they  follow.  The  tusks  and  oil  are  valua- 
ble, and  the  flesh  palatable.  They  are  hunted  by  the  Eskimo 
from  the  kayak  only. 

The  sword-fish,  or  grampus,  is  a  different  species  from  the 


1881.]  MELVILLE  BAY   TO   FORT   CONGER.  7? 

common  sword-fish  of  lower  latitudes.  It  is  a  fierce,  voracious 
fish  of  the  dolphin  family,  possessing  great  strength  and  activ- 
ity, and  pursues  whales  and  seals  with  ruthless  energy.  JDr.  Esch- 
richt  is  said  to  have  taken  thirteen  porpoises  and  fourteen  seals 
from  the  stomach  of  one  of  these  voracious  animals,  who  was 
choked  swallowing  yet  another  seal. 

"We  saw  many  dovekies,  and  shot  several  during  the  day ; 
they  frequent  the  cliffs  of  Cape  Lieber,  and  evidently  breed 
there. 

An  attempt  was  made  in  the  evening  to  reach  Cape  Baird 
over  the  floe,  but  some  changes  in  the  ice  appearing  probable, 
the  party  was  recalled. 

Several  brent  geese,  a  boatswain,  and  a  snowy  owl  visited  us 
during  the  day. 

On  the  7th  a  northeasterly  wind  prevailed,  which  sent  large 
quantities  of  heavy  ice  down  Kennedy  Channel,  and  obliged 
the  Proteus  to  frequently  change  her  location  to  avoid  beset- 
ment,  and  at  10  P.M.  we  were  tied  up  to  a  floe  in  Kennedy 
Channel,  five  miles  south  of  Cape  Lieber.  Many  of  the  floes 
which  passed  south  were  from  one  to  five  miles  long,  and  from 
ten  to  fifty  feet  thick. 

In  order  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  the  captain  made  arrange- 
ments during  the  day  for  a  possible  nip,  so  that  the  propeller- 
screw  and  rudder  could  be  readily  hoisted.  We  were  then  in  a 
large,  open-water  space,  ten  miles  long  and  from  one  to  five 
miles  broad,  with  the  main  pack  to  the  northward  and  the 
detached  floes  to  the  southward. 

White  whales  were  again  seen,  and  a  number  of  birds,  includ- 
ing the  snow  bunting,  ringed  plover,  and  ivory  gull. 

During  the  8th  the  pack  from  the  northward  filled  Hall  Basin 
completely,  and  Kennedy  Channel  to  the  southward  of  Bessels 
Bay,  while  the  detached  pack  to  the  southward  appeared  to  be 


78  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

caught  between  Hans  Island  and  the  north  cape  of  Carl  Hitter 
Bay.  In  case  of  a  heavy  northerly  gale,  if  the  main  pack  had 
broken,  the  only  available  shelter  would  have  been  at  Hans 
Island,  which  possibly  could  have  been  passed  to  the  eastward. 
The  narwhals  still  remained  with  us,  and  several  were  seen  dur- 
ing the  day,  and  a  number  of  seals,  one  of  which  was  shot. 

On  the  9th  the  ice  opened  considerably,  but  snowy  weather 
prevented  movement  in  any  direction.  A  square-flipper  seal 
(1'hoca  larbata)  v?&s  killed;  a  falcon,  tern,  and  glaucous  gull 
were  seen. 

We  were  surprised  to  see  on  the  10th  a  harp  seal  (Phoca 
Groenlandiccb),  -which,  as  well  as  dovekies  and  a  number  of  gulls, 
visited  the  vessel.  Snow  still  continued,  which  obscured  the 
land  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  and  with  continued  in- 
action was  very  trying  to  our  spirits. 

It  was  true  that  the  situation  remained  unchanged,  and  no 
ground  was  lost  to  the  southward,  but  our  position  was  by  no 
means  encouraging.  Since  the  4th  of  the  month  we  had  lost 
over  forty  miles  of  latitude,  and  instead  of  being  eight  miles 
from  our  destination  were  nearer  fifty.  It  was,  therefore,  with  a 
peculiar  feeling  of  gratification  that  we  saw  the  wind,  shortly  after 
noon,  back  from  the  north  to  the  favorable  southwest  quarter. 

On  the  morning  of  the  llth  the  sky  showed  signs  of  clearing, 
and  at  7  A.M.,  under  the  influence  of  a  southwesterly  gale,  the 
fog  lifted  to  the  northward.  Very  little  ice  was  then  in  sight, 
and  what  there  was  crowded  well  to  the  eastern  coast.  "We 
were  then  off  Hans  Island,  from  which  we  started  northward 
at  full  speed,  and  on  rounding  Cape  Lieber  were  delighted  to 
see  Lady  Franklin  Bay  equally  clear  of  ice. 

The  southwest  wind  continued  strong,  and  at  2  P.M.,  while  we 
were  crossing  Archer  fiord,  attained  an  hourly  velocity  of  thirty- 
six  miles. 


1881  .J 


MELVILLE  BAY  TO   FORT   CONGER. 


79 


On  reaching  the  entrance  of  Discovery  Harbor,  a  narrow 
channel  free  from  ice  was  found,  separating  the  main  ice  of 
Archer  fiord  from  a  considerable  pack  which  was  visible  in 
Water-Course  Bay.  Discovery  Harbor  was  in  the  same  condi- 
tion as  the  bays  to  the  southward — covered  with  heavy  harbor- 
ice  of  the  previous  year's  formation. 


Eskimo  Boys  Fishing. 


The  Proteus  steamed  slowly  into  the  curved  water-space  to 
the  northward  of  Dutch  Island,  the  powerful  engines  stopped, 
an  ice-anchor  was  thrown  on  the  harbor-floe,  and  our  voyage  to 
Lady  Franklin  Bay  was  prosperously  ended. 


in  Discovery  Ha'bor. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  RETURN  OF  THE  PROTEUS. 

A  S  the  Proteus  neared  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  a  black 
~^^  speck  appeared  high  up  on  the  steep  sides  of  Cairn  Hill, 
which  was  soon  determined  to  be  a  musk-ox.  The  moment  the 
vessel  touched  fast-ice  five  or  six  eager  sportsmen  started  in 
pursuit  of  him.  Somewhat  to  the  chagrin  of  the  huntsmen 
of  the  expedition,  he  fell  a  prize  to  the  boatswain,  who  being 
in  better  condition  to  climb  the  steep  cliffs,  first  succeeded  in 
getting  within  gun-shot.  At  the  first  ball  the  bull  appeared  to 
start  toward  the  hunter,  but  a  second  shot  caused  him  to  stag- 


THE  RETURN  OF  THE  PROTEUS.  81 

ger  and  fall  for  some  two  hundred  feet  down  the  steep  cliffs, 
on  the  edge  of  which  he  was  grazing. 

While  the  musk-ox  was  being  secured,  I  went  direct  to  Dis- 
covery winter-quarters,  where  the  post-office  cairn  of  Captain 
Stephenson  was  visited.  Two  copper  cases  were  obtained, 
labelled  "  Records  and  General  Information,"  the  latter  of 
which,  by  coincidence,  was  dated  August  11, 1876,  just  five  years 
previous  to  a  day. 

A  Hicks  glacial  thermometer,  set  five  feet  in  the  ground, 
recorded  a  temperature  of  26°.  As  the  unfrozen  ground  attains 
its  maximum  temperature  not  far  from  that  time  of  the  year, 
this  temperature  seems  reasonably  the  maximum  of  the  earth 
at  that  depth.  Later  observations  and  experiences  show  that 
the  earth  thaws  only  to  a  depth  of  twenty-two  to  twenty-four 
inches,  remaining  eternally  frozen  below  that  point. 

About  twenty-five  barrels  of  spoiled  pork  and  beef,  left  by 
Captain  Stephenson  in  1876,  were  standing  near,  and  numerous 
empty  cans  and  other  debris,  such  as  usually  mark  old  encamp- 
ments were  strewn  around. 

A  large  flock  of  eider-ducks  had  settled  in  an  open  pool  near 
by,  and  to  the  northward  some  three-quarters  of  a  mile  ten  musk- 
oxen  were  quietly  grazing.  The  adjacent  brook-slopes  and 
margins  were  clothed  with  vegetation,  composed  of  thick  beds 
of  Dryas,  or  clusters  of  Saarifraga,  varied  with  sedges,  grasses, 
or  the  familiar  buttercup.  Higher  up,  on  glacier-drift  of  clayey 
nature,  countless  Arctic  poppies  of  luxuriant  growth  dotted 
with  fair  yellow  the  landscape.  Surely  this  presence  of  bird  and 
flower  and  beast  were  kindly  greetings  on  Nature's  part  to  our 
new  home. 

But  in  Arctic  life  one  grows  practical,  and,  in  default  of  gun 
for  duck  and  rifle  for  musk-oxen,  I  started  to  tell  the  huntsmen 
to  pursue  them,  but  while  I  was  on  the  way  they  were  discovered 


82  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

by  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  who  with  Mr.  Clay  and  Private  Ryan, 
followed  them  up,  and  killed  all  on  the  south  side  of  Mount 
Cartmel. 

Sergeant  Brainard  and  a  party  were  at  once  sent  out  to  dis- 
embowel and  skin  the  animals,  as  the  musky  flavor,  which  some- 
times marks  the  otherwise  excellent  meat,  is  generally  attributed 
to  the  animals  remaining  undressed  for  some  time  after  their 
slaughter.  The  indefatigable  photographer,  Sergeant  Rice,  ac- 
companied them,  and  at  midnight  made  a  photograph  of  the 
animals. 

The  Captain  of  the  Proteus  was  desirous  of  landing  the  party 
in  Discovery  Harbor,  but  I  was  unwilling  to  abandon  the  con- 
templated location  at  "Water-course  Bay,  owing  to  its  proximity 
to  a  seam  of  excellent  coal.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  in  con- 
sequence sent  to  examine  the  existing  conditions  in  Water- 
course Bay  and  to  report  thereon.  lie  returned  at  6  A.M.  of 
the  12th,  having  killed  during  his  absence  three  more  musk- 
cattle,  lie  reported  the  coal  seam  as  of  excellent  quality  and 
easily  accessible,  and  that  the  shores  of  the  bay  were  well 
adapted  for  a  station.  The  northern  half  of  the  bay  was  then 
filled  with  pressed-up  floes  from  the  influence  of  the  south- 
west gale,  which  yet  continued.  He  thought  it  doubtful  if  a 
vessel  could  approach  nearer  the  land  than  one-eighth  of  a 
mile,  and  further  reported  that  no  sheltered  anchorage  was 
possible. 

In  view  of  these  conditions  I  decided  to  land  at  the  Discovery 
winter-quarters,  where  it  also  seemed  that  the  observations, 
strictly  comparable  with  those  of  the  English  expedition,  would 
better  subserve  our  scientific  objects. 

The  Captain  commenced  at  once  breaking  up  the  harbor-ice, 
a  work  which  lasted  for  seven  hours  continuously  until  we 
anchored  opposite  the  post-office  cairn,  and  within  a  hundred 


1881.] 


THE   RETURN   OF   THE   PROTEUS. 


83 


yards  of  it.  It  was  very  troublesome  to  force  a  passage,  as 
there  was  no  place  for  the  broken  floes  to  be  driven  to.  The 
ice  averaged  sixteen  inches  in  thickness,  but  in  many  places  it 
was  eight  or  ten  feet.  The  latter  was  in  moderately  rotten  con- 
dition, or  the  vessel  could  never  have  made  its  way  through 
it.  It  was  surprising  that  she  did  her  work  so  well. 


Proteus  First  Stopped  by  Ice. 

The  Proteus  would  back  several  hundred  yards  from  the  edge 
of  the  ice,  and  then  going  ahead  at  full  speed  would  strike 
the  heavy  floes  squarely  with  her  iron  prow.  Her  impact  was 
such  that,  surging  and  rising,  she  would  plunge  into  the  solid  ice 
from  half  to  her  whole  length.  As  she  moved  ahead  the  entire 
crew  rolled  the  vessel,  so  as  to  give  a  motion  sideways,  which 


84  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

teiided  to  further  break  up  the  floes  and  prevent  the  ship  from 
being  caught  and  wedged. 

Great  skill  is  needed  for  the  proper  handling  of  a  ship  under 
such  conditions,  for  she  must  be  stopped  and  backed  before  she 
has  entirely  lost  headway,  in  order  to  avoid  wedging.  Despite 
Captain  Pike's  great  experience,  the  ship  was  several  times 
caught,  thus  entailing  loss  of  time  and  expenditure  of  fuel. 

A  site  was  immediately  chosen  for  the  house,  which  was  ar- 
ranged to  stand  north  and  south.  The  men  were  divided  into 
two  parties  for  unloading  the  vessel.  All  were  engaged  in  this 
task  except  the  necessary  scientific  observers,  carpenters,  and 
one  or  two  who  were  detailed  to  secure  the  musk-meat  cached 
near  by. 

The  station  was  named  Conger,  after  Senator  Conger,  who 
had  interested  himself  specially  in  behalf  of  the  expedition. 

Mr.  Clay  informed  me  on  the  16th  of  his  desire  to  return  to  the 
United  States,  saying  that  he  thought  such  a  course  calculated 
to  promote  the  harmony  and  interests  of  the  expedition. 
Though  regretting  to  lose  his  society  I  could  not  but  concur  in  his 
opinion,  as  the  surgeon  of  the  expedition  had  shown  a  marked 
disposition  to  extreme  measures  if  Mr.  Clay  remained.  Our 
surgeon  was  indispensable,  and  all  honorable  concessions  to  re- 
tain him  should  be  made.  Corporal  Starr  and  Private  Ryan 
having  developed  physical  ailments,  which  unfitted  them  for 
prolonged  Arctic  service,  were  also  ordered  to  return  by  the 
Proteus,  much  to  their  regret. 

On  the  15th  the  boatswain  killed  another  inusk-ox,  which 
went  to  the  crew  of  the  Proteus,  but  later  the  Captain  forbade 
any  of  his  crew  from  hunting  more,  on  my  representation  that 
the  necessities  of  our  situation,  separated  as  we  were  from  the 
rest  of  the  world,  demanded  the  conservation  of  these  animals 
for  our  future  use. 


1881.]  THE   RETURN    OF   THE   PROTEUS.  85 

At  6  P.M.  of  the  18th  I  finally  discharged  the  Proteus. 

At  that  time,  in  addition  to  all  our  general  supplies,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  tons  of  coal  had  been  landed. 

On  the  25th  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  spent  the  day  on  the 
Proteus  and  the  next  day,  dissatisfied  with  the  expeditionary 
regulations,  requested  that  he  be  relieved  from  duty  with  the 
expedition.  He  was  relieved  and  ordered  to  report  to  the 
Chief  Signal  Officer.  Unfortunately  the  Proteus  got  under 
way  just  as  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  was  leaving  the  station,  and 
he  was  obliged  to  return  to  Conger.  He  remained  consequently 
at  Conger,  doing  no  duty,  and  with  no  further  requirement  than 
that  he  should  conform  to  the  police  regulations  of  the  station. 
He  at  no  time  requested  to  return  to  duty  as  an  officer  of  the 
expedition.  An  excellent  shot  and  an  assiduous  hunter,  he 
contributed  by  his  skill  at  various  times  to  our  stock  of  game 
and  thus  to  our  health  and  comfort.  He  accompanied  several 
short  sledge  parties,  as  will  be  noted  hereafter. 

These  unfortunate  episodes  emphasize  the  necessity  of  select- 
ing for  Arctic  service  only  men  and  officers  of  thorough  military 
qualities,  among  which  subordination  is  by  no  means  of  second- 
ary importance.  If  in  all  military  commands  that  element 
is  of  great  importance,  it  is  of  predominating  weight  in  Arc- 
tic work,  where  isolation  and  self-dependence  impose  peculiar 
and  rigid  conditions.  If  subsequently  the  discipline  and  subor-  . 
dination  of  the  party  insured  extraordinary  success  in  field- 
work  and  in  retreat,  it  was  despite  the  unfortunate  commence- 
ment. 

The  Proteus  made  an  attempt  to  leave  the  harbor  on  the 
morning  of  the  19th,  but  was  only  able  to  reach  Dutch 
Island,  where  the  heavy  crowded  ice  in  Lady  Franklin  Bay, 
driven  in  by  the  easterly  storm  of  the  18th,  prevented  her  de- 
parture. She  returned  to  the  point  adjacent,  which  was  named 


86  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.      (Aug  ,  1881.J 

Proteus  Point,  where  the  rest  of  her  stay  was  occupied  in  tak- 
ing on  ballast.    • 

Lieutenant  Lockwood,  with  the  launch,  attempted  to  follow 
the  Proteus  as  she  left  her  anchorage  on  the  morning  of  the 
19th,  but  owing  to  the  extremely  heavy  ice  found  it  impossible 
to  do  so.  This  was  a  matter  of  much  regret  to  us,  as,  if  the 
launch  could  have  been  got  into  open  water  near  Dutch  Island, 
she  would  have  been  of  great  service  during  that  autumn. 

Hourly  meteorological  observations  had  been  regularly  made 
from  August  8th  on  board  ship,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  19th 
were  regularly  commenced  on  shore.  Two  days  later  a  tide- 
gauge  was  up,  and  tidal  observations  regularly  commenced. 

From  the  18th  the  men  and  officers  were  quartered  camp- 
fashion  in  tents,  but  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  hours'  work  daily 
did  wonders  on  our  house,  and  on  the  21st  the  cook's  range 
was  set  up.  The  very  low  temperature  made  us  feel  the  im- 
portance of  quarters,  especially  for  such  articles  as  would  be 
much  damaged  by  frost.  Already  from  August  18th  freezing 
temperatures  occurred  daily,  and  at  3  P.M.  of  the  29th  the 
temperature  fell  below  the  freezing  point,  there  to  remain  for 
a  period  of  nine  months. 

In  the  meantime  the  ice  remained  piled  up  at  the  eastern 
entrance  to  the  harbor,  and  the  Proteus,  despite  almost  daily 
attempts  to  leave,  was  ice-bound  in  sight.  Daily  a  note  was 
sent  to  her,  that  the  latest  tidings  might  reach  our  homes. 
Finally,  on  August  26th,  she  made  a  desperate  attempt,  and 
broke  through  the  dense,  narrow  strip  of  packed  floes  which 
had  cut  her  off  from  open  water.  Archer  Fiord  was  packed 
with  ice,  and  she  was  compelled  to  run  northeastward.  All 
followed  her  movements  with  lively  interest,  and  about  7  P.M., 
some  miles  east  of  Distant  Cape,  she  passed  from  our  sight,  as 
it  proved,  forever. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

FORT   CONGER. 

TT  was  but  natural  that  many  a  longing  glance  should  be  sent 
after  the  departing  ship,  but,  on  the  whole,  I  doubt  not 
there  was  a  certain  sense  of  relief  that  the  ship  had  actually 
gone,  and  that  our  work  had  fairly  commenced.  While  the 
ship  remained  in  the  harbor  it  caused  a  feeling  of  restlessness 
and  uneasiness,  which  quite  disappeared  as  soon  as  she  de- 
parted. 

The  work  on  the  house  was  pushed  with  the  utmost  rapidity, 
and  by  August  25th  some  of  the  party  moved  in  ;  there  being  a 
roof  to  cover  their  heads,  although  the  floor  and  windows  were 
not  yet  completed.  A  portion  of  the  party  remained  a  short 
time  longer  in  the  tents  which  formed  our  original  quarters, 
some  preferring  to  wait  until  everything  was  in  order,  and  their 
places  finally  allotted  to  them  ;  and  others  because  they  realized 
that  the  quarters  in  the  house  would  soon  become  monotonous, 
and  that  it  was  best  to  defer  their  occupation  until  the  last 
possible  moment. 

The  first  Sunday  on  which  I  felt  justified  in  resting  was 
August  28th,  on  which  day  all  unnecessary  work  was  discon- 
tinued. At  ten  o'clock  the  entire  party  were  assembled,  and 
the  programme  for  future  Sundays  outlined. 

In  dealing  with  the  religious  affairs  of  a  party  of  that  kind, 
which  included  in  it  members  of  many  varying  sects,  I  felt  that 


88  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

any  regulations  which  might  be  formulated  should  rest  on  the 
broadest  and  most  liberal  basis.  I  said  to  them  that,  although 
separated  from  all  the  rest  of  the  world,  it  was  most  proper  and 
right  that  the  Sabbath  should  be  observed.  In  consequence,  I 
announced  that  games  of  all  kinds  should  be  abstained  from  on 
that  day.  On  each  Sunday  morning  there  would  be  read  by  me 
a  selection  from  the  Psalms,  and  it  was  expected  that  every 
member  of  the  expedition  should  be  present,  unless  he  had 
conscientious  scruples  against  listening  to  the  reading  of  the 
Bible.  After  services  on  each  Sunday,  any  parties  desiring  to 
hunt  or  leave  the  station  should  have  free  and  full  permission, 
and  such  exercise  was  deemed  by  me  especially  suited  to  our  sur- 
roundings, as  serving  to  break  in  on  the  monotony  of  our  life, 
and  thus  be  conducive  both  to  mental  and  physical  health.  The 
selection  of  Psalms  for  the  28th  day  of  the  month  was  then 
read.  Although,  as  a  rule,  during  our  stay  at  Conger,  I  re- 
frained from  any  comments  on  what  was  thus  read,  I  felt  obliged 
that  morning  to  especially  invite  the  attention  of  the  party  to 
that  verse  which  recites  how  delightful  a  thing  it  is  for  brethren 
to  dwell  together  in  unity.  A  few  words  were  added  upon  the 
depressing  effect  which  an  isolated  and  monotonous  life  pro- 
duced upon  men  experiencing  the  trials  and  hardships  of  a  long 
Arctic  winter.  I  further  expressed  the  hope,  that  every  one 
would  endeavor  to  conciliate  and  reconcile  those  who  drifted 
into  any  unpleasant  controversy  instead  of  exciting  them  to 
further  feeling. 

That  the  conditions  under  which  we  lived  and  by  which  we 
were  surrounded  may  be  known,  a  brief  description  of  our 
house  and  the  adjacent  country  is  given  as  follows : 

The  house  was  60  by  17  feet  in  the  clear.  Its  walls  were 
double,  the  two  coverings  of  half -inch  boards  being  separated 
by  an  air-space  of  about  a  foot.  Great  reliance  was  placed  on  the 


1881.]  FOKT   CONGER.  89 

non-conductivity  to  heat  of  these  air-spaces  to  contribute  to  our 
warmth.  The  inside  lining  consisted  of  well-fitted  boards,  which 
were  tongued  and  grooved  by  our  own  carpenters,  but  to  insure 
freedom  from  draughts  a  covering  of  thin  tar-paper  was  nailed 
upon  the  rafters  before  the  covering  of  boards  was  fastened.  A 
covering  of  much  heavier  tar-paper  was  placed  on  the  outside 
of  the  external  boards.  The  external  wood  was  fastened  verti- 
cally instead  of  horizontally,  and  though  there  was  but  a  single 
covering,  yet  we  managed  by  strong  battening  to  securely  fasten 
the  tar-paper  and  prevent  serious  draughts.  The  roof  was  but 
the  thickness  of  a  single  board,  and,  like  the  sides,  was  covered 
by  tar-paper  secured  by  battening.  The  paper  used  for  outside 
covering  was  of  the  heaviest  character,  and,  being  black,  absorbed 
during  the  early  spring  and  summer,  when  external  heat  was 
most  desired,  the  rays  of  the  sun  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
materially  contribute  to  the  warmth  of  the  interior.  During 
the  winter  the  external  wall  and  covering  of  ice  and  snow  pre- 
vented any  extreme  cold  from  radiation.  The  house  was  ceiled 
with  tongued-and-grooved  boards,  which  not  only  contributed  to 
our  warmth,  but  added  also  to  our  room,  by  affording  above  an 
excellent  storage-place  for  various  kinds  of  articles  which  would 
have  been  materially  injured  by  exposure  to  the  weather. 

The  interior  of  the  house  was  divided  into  three  rooms,  one 
17  by  15  feet  for  the  officers,  which  was  separated  from  the 
large  room  of  the  men  by  an  intermediate  space  of  8  by  17 
feet,  of  which  6  by  8  feet  served  as  an  entry,  and  a  small  space 
of  11  by  8  feet  was  allowed  the  cook  as  his  special  domain. 
At  the  north  and  south  ends  lean-tos  of  canvas  and  tar-paper 
were  constructed,  which  served  useful  purposes  as  store-houses, 
and  also  afforded  intermediate  stopping-places  between  the 
warm  quarters  and  the  wintry  air.  A  similar  addition  was 
made  in  the  second  year  to  the  west  side  of  the  house. 


90 


THEEE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


[Aug., 


1  to  C.  Two-tiered  bunks. 

1.  Biederbick,  Connell, 

Henry,  Whisler. 

2.  Elison,  Schneider, 

Cross,  Lynn. 

3.  Salor,  Long, 

Bender,  Ellis. 

4.  Brainard,  Frederick, 

Ralston,  Gardiner. 
f>.  Jewell,  Israel, 
Rice. 

6.  Christiansen, 

Jens. 

7.  Dr.  Pavy. 

8.  Lt.  Kislingbury. 

9.  Lt.  Lockwood. 
10.  Lt.  Greely. 

A.  Pendulum  Piers. 

B.  Bath  Tub. 

C.  Chimneys — double. 

D.  Desk. 

E.  Ladder  to  Garret. 

F.  Chronograph  and  Anemometer 

Register. 

G.  Chronometers. 

L.  Canvas  additions. 

P.  Coal  Pen. 

R.  Cooking  Range. 

5.  Heating  Stove. 
T.  Tables. 
W.Water  Tank. 

|'  Ice  Wall  in  \Vinter. 


Plan  of  House  at  Fort  Conger. 
Scale,  16 feet  to  the  inch. 


1881.]  FORT   CONGER.  91 

The  accompanying  plan  shows  the  general  arrangement  of  the 
house  and  the  location  of  the  party.  It  will  be  observed  that 
the  bath-room  abutted  against  the  chimneys,  so  that  this  indis- 
pensable adjunct  of  an  Arctic  house  was  always  comfortable  for 
persons  using  it.  An  excellent  bath-tub  was  made,  which  was 
in  frequent  use ;  the  order  requiring  complete  ablutions  weekly 
being  necessary  only  as  a  matter  of  form. 

The  only  comparatively  level  part  of  the  country  was  that  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  house.  The  building  was 
conveniently  and  pleasantly  situated  within  thirty  yards  of  the 
water's  edge  on  a  small  tableland  between  two  brooks,  which  for 
a  few  months  in  the  year  ran  into  the  sea. 

To  the  southward,  along  the  steep  shore  to  Dutch  Island, 
which  was  about  two  miles  distant,  and  at  the  very  entrance  of 
the  harbor,  rose  up  abruptly  a  high  hill,  whose  elevation  was 
over  fifteen  hundred  feet.  It  was  called  Cairn  Hill  from  the 
cairn  established  by  the  English. 

To  the  eastward  a  comparatively  low  valley  stretched,  separat- 
ing Cairn  Hill  from  Mount  Cartmel,  which,  some  two  thousand 
feet  high,  was  to  the  northwestward  of  the  station.  The  valley 
separating  Mount  Cartmel  and  Cairn  Hill  led  up  to  a  gentle 
divide,  through  which  Water-course  Creek  and  the  coal  mine, 
some  four  miles  distant,  were  reached,  over  a  country  which, 
though  affording  the  best  travel  of  the  neighborhood,  was  an 
exceedingly  rough  one. 

Directly  to  the  northward  was  a  sharp  break  in  the  high 
cliffs,  which  was  known  as  the  north  valley.  Through  that 
opening  rose  to  view,  some  five  miles  distant  from  the  sea, 
an  elevation  of  nearly  three  thousand  feet,  the  Hogback.  It 
received  its  name  from  the  gently  curving  outlines  of  its  sum- 
mit, the  common  form  of  most  hill-tops  in  Grinnell  Land ;  many 
of  which  will  be  mentioned  later  under  that  generic  name. 


92 


THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


[Aug. , 


To  the  northwest,  about  a  mile  distant,  emptied  into  the  sea  a 
creek  from  Cascade  Ravine.  This  ravine  was  so  named  from 
its  series  of  beautiful  cascades,  where  the  summer  torrents 


An  Arctic  Brook. 


plunged  downward  in  the  distance  of  a  mile  over  fourteen 
hundred  feet  through  a  bare  cleft  in  the  solid  rock.  This 
creek  drained  the  upper  plateau  around  the  Sugar  Loaf,  a 
pointed  elevation  of  eighteen  hundred  feet. 


1881. J  FORT   CONGER.  93 

From  Cascade  Ravine  westward  to  French  Cape,  for  a  dis- 
tance of  ten  miles,  cliffs  from  fourteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
feet  rose  so  nearly  perpendicular  from  the  harbor  that  they 
were  inaccessible,  except  possibly  at  one  or  two  places.  About 
five  miles  west  of  the  station  these  cliffs  turn  sharply  to  the 
northward,  making  a  large  indentation,  which  is  known  as 
Musk-ox  Bay,  into  which  drained,  through  a  break  in  the  cliffs, 
a  series  of  fresh-water  lakes,  the  largest  of  which  was  named 
by  the  English  expedition  Alexandra,  after  the  Princess  of 
Wales.  On  the  western  entrance  of  Musk-ox  Bay  Mount 
Ovibos  raises  its  snow-capped  head  over  two  thousand  feet. 
To  the  northward  of  French  Cape  a  narrow  ravine  breaks  into 
the  high  cliffs,  which  there  are  nearly  two  thousand  feet  in 
height.  Beyond  that  cape  a  bay  three  miles  long  by  a  mile 
wide,  which  was  temporarily  called  Basil  Norris  Bay,  brought 
one  at  its  western  shore  to  the  only  extensive  lowland  in  that 
vicinity.  A  gentle  slope  to  the  south  carries  you  over  a  bench 
of  low  elevation  to  Sun  Bay.  To  the  northward  a  broad  valley 
about  two  miles  wide,  known  as  the  Bellows,  gradually  narrow- 
ing, extends  some  twenty  miles  into  the  interior.  Nearly 
parallel  to  the  Bellows,  with  a  slightly  more  westerly  course, 
Black  Rock  vale  similarly  extends  some  twenty  miles  to  the 
westward,  until  it  reaches  a  narrow  "  divide,"  by  which  it  is 
separated  from  Lake  Hazen. 

To  the  southwest  of  the  station  Bellot  Island,  about  three 
miles  long  by  two  wide,  separates  Discovery  Harbor  from 
Archer  Fiord,  leaving  to  the  westward  a  broad  channel  between 
itself  and  Sun  Peninsula.  The  island  is  a  beautiful  one,  rugged 
and  high,  with  its  summit  (Mount  Campbell)  of  about  twenty- 
one  hundred  feet  attractively  marked  with  eternal  drifts  of  snow. 

It  is  thus  seen  that  our  immediate  surroundings  were  on 
nature's  grandest  scale.  So  perfect  was  the  harmony,  and  so 


94  THREE    YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

proportionate  the  parts,  that  the  grandeur  at  first,  as  of  Niagara, 
was  hardly  appreciated. 

The  great  harbor,  with  its  twenty  square  miles  of  immense 
ice-floes,  hemmed  in  at  every  point  by  precipitous  walls,  which 
ranged  from  hundreds  to  thousands  of  feet  in  height,  seemed  at 
landing  but  a  small  bay  surrounded  by  moderate  hills. 

But  at  times  our  thoughts  and  eyes  turned  homeward,  and 
from  the  station  far  to  the  southward  the  bold  capes  of  Morton 
and  Tyson  stood  forth  on  clear  days,  grim  sentinels  that  over- 
look the  eternal  ice-stream  which  pushes  downward  from  the 
interior  of  Greenland  into  Petermann  Fiord. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 

AUTUMN    SLEDGING. 

rilHE  house  was  scarcely  completed  before  field-work  com- 
-•-  menced.  The  difficulties  and  dangers  of  such  work  in 
autumn  are  obvious,  and  have  been  dwelt  on  to  a  marked  extent 
by  most  Arctic  writers.  The  snow  gone  from  the  ground  ren- 
ders land  travel  by  sledges  impossible,  while  along  the  edge  of 
the  sea  the  ice-foot  is  similarly  impracticable.  The  sea  itself, 
especially  in  very  high  latitudes,  is  always  more  or  less  full  of 
ice,  which  if  not  dangerous  soon  becomes  so  through  being 
cemented  together  by  young  ice,  an  obstacle  the  most  difficult 
of  all  for  a  boat  to  pass  through. 

The  sun  shines  but  little  and  feebly ;  the  nights — the  bug- 
bear of  all  Arctic  travellers  who  have  endured  them — lengthen 
with  fearful  rapidity ;  the  moist,  penetrating  air  readily  chills 
and  stupefies,  while  the  cold  steadily  increases  with  the  growing 
autumn.  The  young  ice,  formed  rapidly  by  low  temperatures, 
is  a  thick,  leathery  substance,  the  surface  of  which  is  covered 
an  inch  or  more  with  a  moist,  saline  efflorescence,  beautiful  to 
the  eye,  but  which  binds  and  impedes  the  passage  of  a  sledge 
much  the  same  as  wet  sand  checks  the  movement  of  an  engine 
on  the  rails.  This  substance  congealing  only  at  very  low  tem- 
peratures, melts  and  saturates  the  foot-gear  of  the  travellers. 
In  addition,  a  light  coating  of  snow  frequently  conceals  thin, 
young  ice  when  the  serious  danger  of  its  breaking  under  the 
sledge,  and  the  consequent  immersion  of  the  whole  party  is 


96  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

encountered.  In  autumn  temperatures  the  travelling-gear  of  a 
man  once  wet,  the  chances  of  dangerous  frost-bites  and  disaster 
largely  increase.  It  is  sound  doctrine  that  autumn  sledging 
should  be  carefully  planned,  attempted  with  great  caution,  and 
never  pushed  to  great  distances. 

On  August  29th  Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  sent,  with  two  men 
on  foot  and  with  packs,  to  ascertain  the  practicability  of  inland 
travel  to  and  around  St.  Patrick  Bay.  He  was  gone  but  two 
days,  during  which  time  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  kill  a  musk- 
ox,  and  unfortunate  enough  to  freeze  one  of  his  feet.  The 
temperature  at  that  time  was  about  25°  (-3.9°  C.),  but  travelling 
through  occasional  pools  dampened  his  foot-gear  and  frosted  his 
foot  without  his  knowledge.  St.  Patrick  Bay  was  found  to  be 
fringed  with  precipitous  cliffs  of  nearly  a  thousand  feet  in  ele- 
vation, wrhich  were  broken  only  by  a  narrow  valley  at  the  very 
head  of  the  bay  itself.  Occasionally  a  narrow  ravine  worn  by 
the  summer  streams  was  found,  up  or  down  which  an  unencum- 
bered traveller  could  pass  with  great  difficulty. 

This  result  was  somewhat  of  a  disappointment  to  me,  as  I 
had  at  that  time  a  small  depot  of  provisions  on  a  wheeled  con- 
veyance, which  were  to  be  cached  for  travelling  parties  at  the 
most  practicable  crossing.  These  articles  were  left  at  the  head  of 
the  bay,  and  later  in  the  month  were  removed  to  Cape  Murchi- 
son,  where  they  formed  Depot  "A." 

In  the  early  days  of  October  Lieutenant  Lockwood  made  a 
second  journey  in  the  same  direction,  and  spent  a  few  days  in 
exploring  the  valley  which  extends  northward  from  the  head  of 
St.  Patrick  Bay.  A  mile  and  a  half  wide  at  its  entrance,  it 
reached  some  six  miles  to  the  northwest,  where  the  lower  level 
of  the  valley  terminated,  but  a  narrow  ravine  enclosing  a  river- 
bed still  continued  several  miles  farther  toward  the  north.  The 
valley  through  its  whole  extent  was  hemmed  in  by  precipitous 


1881.]  AUTUMN   SLEDGING.  97 

bluffs  of  great  elevation,  rarely  broken  by  steep,  narrow  ravines 
on  either  side.  To  the  left  a  narrow  gorge  broke  into  the  val- 
ley, which  subsequent  explorations  two  years  later  showed  con- 
clusively to  be  the  main  valley,  through  which  drains  the  greater 
part  of  the  water  which  flows  into  St.  Patrick  Bay. 

Of  the  valley  proper  Lieutenant  Lockwood  says :  "  It  lias  two 
levels,  that  of  the  stream,  and  a  second  of  level  mesa-lands  from 
fifty  to  a  hundred  feet  above  the  general  level.  These  mesa- 
levels  seem  to  be  washings  from  the  lofty  sides  of  the  valley, 
and  project  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  like  the  mud 
flats  of  a  river.  A  narrow  gorge,  the  river-bed,  illustrates 
glacial  action  at  some  past  period,  the  rocky  sides  being  deeply 
worn  and  grooved." 

In  connection  with  subsequent  similar  discoveries,  I  entertain 
no  doubt  that  within  a  reasonably  remote  period  this  valley  was 
below  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  the  glacial  ice-cap  now  with- 
drawn far  from  the  sea  discharged  by  an  offshoot  into  St. 
Patrick  Bay,  and  during  the  gradual  retreat  of  the  ice  alternate 
beaches  naturally  formed  from  deposits  of  the  muddy  stream, 
as  in  many  other  rivers. 

On  August  30th  I  sent  the  surgeon,  Dr.  Octave  Pavy,  and 
Sergeant  Rice,  the  photographer  of  the  expedition,  on  an  over- 
land trip  northward.  Their  instructions  required  them  to  proceed 
as  far  as  practicable  toward  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  searching  care- 
fully on  the  way  for  traces  of  the  missing  steamer  Jeannette.  In 
addition,  they  were  to  examine  the  condition  of  the  English  depot 
at  Lincoln  Bay,  and  report  on  the  practicability  of  autumn  and 
spring  travelling  by  sledge  along  the  Grinnell  Land  coast  to  the 
northward.  They  travelled  with  packs,  carrying  a  dog-tent, 
blankets,  and  sufficient  provisions  to  last  them  as  far  as  the 
English  depot,  where  their  supplies  could  be  renewed.  They 
struck  across  the  country  from  Conger  nearly  in  a  straight  line 
7 


98  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Aug., 

to  the  head  of  St.  Patrick  Bay,  and  thence  by  a  direct  course 
to  Mount  Beaufort,  near  Cape  Beechy,  where  they  saw  numerous 
traces  of  musk-cattle  and  foxes. 

Their  route  from  Shift-rudder  Bay  to  Wrangel  Bay  was 
through  inland  valleys,  which  were  separated  at  their  head  by  a 
narrow  water-shed  of  some  fifteen  hundred  feet  in  elevation.  In 
these  valleys  were  found  a  number  of  small  lakes,  in  one  of 
which  Sergeant  Kice  saw  a  small  fish  some  six  or  eight  inches 
long.  The  depot  at  Lincoln  Bay  was  missed  in  going  north- 
ward. 

On  September  3d  Cape  Union  was  reached,  where,  at  an 
elevation  of  one  thousand  feet,  Dr.  Pavy  found  "  an  horizon  as 
clear  as  can  be  possible  to  find."  In  Robeson  Channel  the  ice 
was  packed  closely  to  the  Greenland  coast,  while  to  the  north 
the  sea  was  covered  with  level  ice,  broken  in  occasional  places 
by  water-spaces.  On  the  Grinnell  Land  side  a  broad  channel 
of  open  water,  two  miles  wide  at  Cape  Union,  stretched  as  far 
northward  as  eye  could  reach. 

Returning  southward,  Lincoln  Bay  was  reached,  and  the  depot 
discovered  in  generally  bad  order.  The  packages  were  strewn 
around  in  disorder,  and  apparently  several  which  could  not  be 
found  had  been  blown  over  the  high  cliffs  by  a  violent  wind. 
Xearly  a  thousand  rations  of  Australian  beef,  curry  paste, 
onion  powder,  and  matches  were  in  perfect  condition,  as  also 
six  hundred  rations  of  stearine.  A  defective  bung  had  caused 
the  loss  of  all  but  a  few  gallons  of  the  rum.  A  small  quantity 
of  tobacco,  chocolate,  and  sugar  were  good,  the  rest  having  be- 
come mouldy  ;  the  tea,  sugar,  and  salt  had  suffered  from  damp- 
ness, while  the  potatoes  and  bread  were  spoiled  by  mould. 

Water-tight  cases  of  very  light  tin  should  be  used  in  protect- 
ing stores  thus  cached.  Particular  attention  should  be  given  to 
the  tightness  of  bungs,  and  to  securing  casks  containing  liquids 


1881  .J  AUTUMN   SLEDGING.  99 

so  that  none  can  be  lost.  Of  five  depots  examined  by  my  ex- 
pedition, there  was  no  case  where  there  was  not  a  portion,  and 
generally  a  very  large  portion,  of  the  rum  and  alcohol  lost  by 
lack  of  proper  attention  in  this  respect. 

Such  of  the  small  stores  as  were  serviceable  were  repacked  in 
one  cask,  and  all  of  these  supplies  were  of  great  benefit  the  suc- 
ceeding spring,  when  a  party  was  sent  northward  over  the 
Polar  Sea.  At  Lincoln  Bay  a  hare  was  killed  by  Sergeant  Rice, 
and  Dr.  Favy  found  at  the  head  of  the  bay  coal  similar  to  that 
of  the  mine  in  Water-course  Ravine. 

Sergeant  Rice,  who  had  broken  through  the  young  ice  and 
saturated  his  foot-gear  on  his  way  north,  was  disabled  while  at 
Lincoln  Bay  by  an  attack  of  acute  rheumatism.  His  sufferings 
were  intense,  and  every  step  caused  agonizing  pain  in  his  feet, 
but  his  indomitable  pluck  and  great  enduring  powers  enabled 
him,  with  the  judicious  aid  of  Dr.  Pavy,  to  proceed  slowly 
homeward.  Arriving  at  the  valley  near  the  head  of  St.  Patrick 
Bay,  he  was  unable  to  go  farther.  Light  snow  had  fallen 
during  the  march,  and  the  temperature  had  fallen  to  17°  (-8.3° 
C.).  The  doctor  then  erected  the  tent,  and,  making  him  as 
comfortable  as  possible,  returned  to  the  station  for  assistance, 
reaching  Conger  at  4  A.M.  of  September  9th. 

I  immediately  sent  Sergeant  Brainard,  with  hot  coffee  and 
food,  a  bottle  of  Sauterne  wine,  and  the  needful  medicines,  to 
make  him  comfortable  pending  relief ;  three  hours  later  a 
party  of  four  followed,  with  sled  and  an  improvised  stretcher. 
The  sled  could  be  taken  only  as  far  as  the  top  of  the  precipitous 
cliffs  overlooking  St.  Patrick  Bay,  and  it  was  necessary  to  trans- 
port him  several  miles  to  reach  that  point.  Later  six  additional 
men  were  sent,  as  the  original  party  were  unable  to  bring  him 
up  the  steep  cliffs,  and  with  them  a  buffalo-robe  to  make  a 
warm  and  more  comfortable  stretcher. 


100  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

While  awaiting  additional  assistance,  the  first  party  carefully 
examined  the  cliffs  for  several  miles  for  some  ravine  of  gen- 
tle slope,  but  none  could  be  seen.  In  the  search,  however, 
Private  Connell  and  Frederik  found  a  large  coniferous  tree  on 
the  beach  just  above  extreme  high  water-mark.  It  was  about 
thirty  inches  in  circumference,  some  thirty  feet  long,  and  had 
apparently  been  carried  to  that  point  by  a  current  within  a 
couple  of  years.  A  portion  of  it  was  cut  up  for  firewood,  and  for 
the  first  time  in  that  valley  a  bright,  cheery  camp-fire  gave  com- 
fort to  man.  Eventually  the  party  reached  Conger  shortly  after 
midnight ;  none  too  soon,  as  the  temperature  had  fallen  to  8° 
(-13.3°  C.),  and  a  northerly  storm  followed  a  few  hours  later. 

Sergeant  Rice  reco.vered  rapidly,  and  ten  days  later  was  in  the 
field.  While  suffering  from  this  attack  he  had  travelled  fifty- 
five  hours  in  three  days,  and  when  relieved  could  scarcely  move 
a  limb  ;  his  suffering  was  so  great  during  this  trip  that  he  lost 
twenty-four  pounds  in  weight. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  no  traces  of  the  Jeannette  were 
found,  as  that  unfortunate  ship  had  sunk  three  months  before. 
On  the  very  day  of  Dr.  Pavy's  return,  the  gallant  De  Long  was 
camped  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Arctic  Circle  on  one  of  the 
new  Siberian  Islands,  with  only  a  week's  provisions,  but  cour- 
ageously hoping,  "  with  God's  aid,  to  reach  the  settlements  on 
the  Lena  River." 

During  Dr.  Pavy's  absence  the  fortunate  opening  of  the 
straits  had  enabled  me  to  establish  a  large  supply-depot  near 
Cape  Beechy.  On  August  30th  Robeson  Channel  had  cleared 
wonderfully  of  ice,  and  I  decided  immediately  on  sending  a 
boat-party  northward.  Unfortunately  our  steam-launch  was  cut 
off  by  heavy  ice  from  the  open  water,  and  the  use  of  the  whale- 
boat  was  necessary. 

Sergeant  Brainard,  my  orderly  and  commissary-sergeant,  was 


1881.]  AUTUMN   SLEDGING.  101 

selected  for  this  important  work,  in  consequence  of  Lieutenant 
Lock  wood's  temporary  disability  from  a  superficial  frost-bite. 

Nearly  two  thousand  pounds  of  provisions,  fuel,  bedding,  and 
other  necessary  field-supplies  were  transported  to  the  whale- 
boat  over  the  harbor-floe,  not  without  difficulty  and  danger, 
owing  to  the  rotten  condition  of  the  young  ice. 

Jewell,  Cross,  Salor,  and  Connell  were  detailed  as  the  crew. 
They  left  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  and  moved  northward 
under  great  difficulty,  consequent  on  the  violent  currents  in  the 
vicinity  of  Distant  Cape,  which  frequently  threatened  to  injure 
the  boat  through  the  small  floes,  and  later  drove  them  for  a  short 
time  to  the  shore  at  Cape  Murchison  for  safety.  The  falling 
temperature  caused  new  ice  to  form  rapidly  in  St.  Patrick  Bay, 
and  it  was  crossed  only  with  great  difficulty. 

They  succeeded  in  reaching  Cape  Beechy  on  September  1st, 
but  grounded  floebergs,  with  the  great  height  and  crowded  con- 
dition of  the  ice-foot,  rendered  a  landing  at  the  cape  impossible ; 
and,  owing  to  the  threatening  appearance  of  the  pack,  Sergeant 
Brainard  gave  way  a  short  distance  to  the  southward.  They 
landed  the  stores  and  hauled  up  the  boat  through  a  break  in 
the  ice-foot  about  two  miles  from  the  cape,  near  the  base  of 
Mount  Beaufort. 

A  northwest  gale  setting  in  filled  Robeson  Channel  with 
heavy  ice  from  the  Polar  Ocean,  and  precluded  any  immediate 
chance  of  returning  by  boat.  In  consequence  they  securely 
cached  the  boat,  pitched  the  tent,  in  which  the  provisions  were 
stored,  and  returned  overland  to  Fort  Conger,  which  was  reached 
on  the  3d.  During  their  absence  the  new  ice  in  St.  Patrick 
Bay  had  increased  with  such  rapidity  that  it  was  sufficiently 
strong  to  admit  of  their  crossing  it.  Private  Connell  killed  a 
fiord-seal  at  Cape  Murchison,  which  was  secured  and  cached 
under  the  boat.  Although  the  temperature  only  fell  to  19.5° 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

RAMTA     RARRARA     CTW  T  BV!E«    T  TDD  A  1 


102  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

(-7°  C.),  yet  the  strong  winds  with  moist  air  caused  the  party  to 
buffer  much  more  from  cold  than  they  did  the  following  spring 
when  exposed  to  temperatures  in  dry  calm  air  much  below 
zero  (-18°  C.).  Sergeant  Brainard  developed  in  this  trip  the 
qualities  of  prudence,  energy,  and  sound  judgment  which  ever 
characterized  his  service  with  the  expedition. 

Sergeant  Gardiner  and  Corporal  Salor,  a  few  days  later,  ex- 
amined the  foot-hills  of  St.  Patrick  Bay,  to  see  how  far  west- 
ward from  Cape  Murchison  they  would  be  practicable  for 
loaded  sledges.  In  connection  with  Sergeant  Gardiner's  report, 
which  showed  the  impracticability  of  loaded  sledges  following 
the  coast  for  more  than  a  mile  beyond  Cape  Murchison,  I  de- 
cided to  establish  a  depot  at  the  point  where  a  party  travelling 
northward  would  leave  the  coast,  and  so  removed,  through 
Sergeant  Lynn  and  party,  a  small  depot  previously  located  at 
the  head  of  the  bay.  The  depot  thus  established  near  Cape 
Murchison  was  known  as  Depot  "  A." 

During  these  trips  Sergeant  Gardiner  found  on  the  shore  of 
St.  Patrick  Bay  an  eight-man  sledge,  pickaxe,  cooking-lamp,  and 
a  twelve-foot  cedar  boat  with  paddles.  These  articles  needed 
only  slight  repairs  to  make  them  immediately  and  thoroughly 
serviceable.  They  had  evidently  been  abandoned  by  sledging 
parties  from  H.  M.  S.  Discovery  in  1876. 

Sergeant  Lynn  found  on  the  shore  of  Water-course  Bay  a 
cart,  evidently  abandoned  by  the  same  expedition.  Later,  these 
articles,  except  the  boat  which  was  used  elsewhere,  were  all 
brought  to  the  station,  and  proved  of  service  to  us.  The  cart, 
however,  was  of  too  heavy  a  pattern  to  be  of  much  practical 
benefit. 

This  cart,  or  a  part  of  it,  was  used  by  Lieutenant  Lewis  A. 
Beaumont,  R.N.,  in  his  attempt  to  reach  Eobeson  Chan- 
nel from  Discovery  winter-quarters  (site  of  Fort  Conger),  in 


1881.]  AUTUMN  SLEDGING.  103 

October,  1875.  The  experiences  of  that  great  Arctic  traveller, 
Sir  Edward  Parry,  were  sufficiently  fortunate  to  justify  the 
opinion  that  for  overland  travel  a  sledge  may  well  be  replaced 
by  a  cart.  Lieutenant  Beaumont  in  attempting  to  carry  out  his 
opinion,  sustained  by  so  sound  an  authority,  was  unfortunate  in 
having  so  heavy  a  vehicle.  I  thoroughly  concur  with  him  in  the 
opinion  that  overland  travelling,  in  Grinnell  Land  at  least,  can 
be  better  done  by  cart  than  sledge,  and  that  I  so  held  in  1881 
contributed  in  a  marked  degree  to  my  successful  journey  into 
the  interior  of  that  country  in  the  summer  of  1882. 

On  September  7th,  the  harbor-floe  being  fit  for  sledge  travel, 
I  decided  to  visit  the  entrance  to  the  Bellows,  a  valley  which 
was  situated  some  fifteen  miles  southwest  of  the  station  at  the 
extreme  point  of  Discovery  Harbor,  which  I  temporarily  named 
Basil  Korris  Bay.  The  Bellows  Valley  received  its  name  from 
the  officers  of  the  English  expedition  of  1875,  on  account  of  the 
high  and  constant  winds  which  were  always  experienced  in  it. 
It  is  separated  from  Black  Rock  Yale  to  the  westward  by  a  high, 
peculiarly  shaped  bluff  called  Bifurcation  Cape.  I  was  accom- 
panied by  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  and  Sergeants  Brainard  and 
Ralston,  with  Eskimo  Jens  as  a  dog-driver. 

Excellent  ice  for  the  sledge  was  fallen  in  with,  and  the  trip  was 
made  in  about  three  hours,  notwithstanding  some  delay  in  the 
centre  of  Basil  Morris  Bay,  on  our  discovery  of  ten  eider-ducks 
in  a  water-space  surrounding  a  palaeocrystic  floe.  They  were 
evidently  two  females,  with  their  full-grown  broods,  which, 
incautiously  delaying  their  migration  to  the  southward,  the 
sudden  advent  of  winter  had  caught  and  detained.  The  young 
ones  were  killed  with  pikestaff,  but  the  older  ones  flew  away 
some  distance  after  being  driven  from  the  water,  and  were 
killed  by  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  with  his  rifle. 

On  nearing  the  shore  Sergeant  Ralston  discovered  a  herd  of 


104  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

fourteen  musk-cattle,  which  were  quietly  grazing  on  a  low 
plateau  near  the  entrance  to  Black  Hock  Valley,  some  three 
miles  distant,  The  party  were  armed  only  with  one  rifle  and 
revolver,  so  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and  the  sergeants  were 
sent  to  surround  the  herd,  of  which  I  ordered  that  eight  only 
should  be  slaughtered.  It  seemed  then  to  me,  as  now,  that 
unless  there  was  immediate  necessity  for  the  meat,  this  in- 
teresting species  should  not  be  exterminated  by  indiscriminate 
slaughter. 

The  musk-cattle  thus  killed,  with  those  already  obtained  in 
the  vicinity  of  Conger,  afforded  us  a  liberal  and  satisfying  diet 
of  fresh  meat  until  the  ensuing  summer.  While  the  hunters 
were  securing  the  game,  I  sent  Jens  with  the  sledge  to  the 
place  selected  for  the  temporary  camp,  and  proceeded  myself 
to  Sun  Bay,  in  order  to  find  and  examine  the  depot  cached  near 
Stony  Cape  by  Lieutenant  Conybeare  in  1876. 

On  my  way  across  the  low  divide  which  separated  the  two 
bays,  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  find  two  musk-oxen,  and  by 
taking  advantage  of  the  ground  succeeded  in  approaching  with- 
in forty  yards  of  them  without  attracting  their  attention.  For 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  I  was  able  to  examine  these  rare  and 
peculiar  animals,  who  did  not  notice  my  presence  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  and  when  they  did  so  were  not  alarmed,  as  I  re- 
mained perfectly  quiet. 

The  circumstances  were  such  as  afforded  me  an  excellent  op- 
portunity of  observing  the  manner  in  which  these  animals 
obtain  their  food  in  winter,  as  they  were  feeding  while  the 
ground  was  covered  with  snow  sufficiently  deep  to  conceal  the 
scanty  vegetation  of  the  valley.  Moving  from  one  patch  of 
Dryas  or  Saxifraga  to  another,  the  animal  with  its  hoof  scraped 
away  carefully  the  snow  from  the  plants,  and  later  supple- 
mented this  action  by  the  farther  use  of  horns  or  proboscis  as 


1881.]  AUTUMN   SLEDGING.  105 

circumstances  required  or  convenience  dictated.  In  no  case  did 
either  animal  fail  to  first  remove  the  bulk  of  the  snow  with  its 
hoof. 

Their  food  at  that  time  was  almost  entirely  Dry  as  octopetala 
and  Saxifraga  oppositifolia  •  the  grasses  and  lichens  were  al- 
most entirely  lacking,  and  in  no  case  did  I  ever  note  the  musk-ox 
feeding  on  the  latter  vegetation,  although  in  many  places  near 
Conger  the  ground  was  covered  with  scanty,  minute  lichens  for 
acres  in  extent.  The  animals,  although  active,  agile  climbers, 
displayed  on  this  and  other  occasions,  when  feeding,  an  awk- 
wardness of  gait  and  movement  which  was  particularly  striking. 

A  long  and  tedious  search  for  the  depot  had  but  scanty  results. 
In  a  thorough  search  over  acres  of  pointed  rocks  overlain  by  a 
thin  covering  of  snow,  I  found  nothing  but  two  six-quart  cans  full 
of  rum  and  alcohol.  I  was  finally  forced  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  provisions  must  have  been  cached  in  bags,  and  eaten  by  wild 
animals,  as  the  remains  of  bags  were  found  near  the  alcohol 
cans,  and  the  lair  of  a  wolf  was  situated  near  by. 

"While  hunting  for  the  depot  I  unfortunately  fell  in  a  mass  of 
loose,  pointed  rocks,  and  seriously  injured  my  right  knee.  Dur- 
ing the  search  I  went  along  the  new  ice  which  had  formed  in 
Sun  Bay  to  within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  Stony  Cape. 
The  ice  thence  southward  of  Archer  Fiord  was  entirely  new, 
and  in  perfect  condition  for  travelling. 

On  returning  to  the  party  I  learned  that  nine  musk-oxen  had 
been  killed.  Camp  was  moved  to  the  foot  of  the  steep  cliffs 
where  the  cattle  had  been  killed,  in  order  that  the  process  of 
skinning  and  dressing  might  be  the  easier  accomplished.  Early 
the  following  morning  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  killed  another 
musk-ox,  which  had  been  wounded  the  night  before. 

The  morning  proved  snowy  and  stormy,  with  low  temperature, 
15°  F.  or  -9.4°  C.  I  decided  in  consequence  to  return  to  the 


106  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

station  with  as  much  of  the  meat  as  could  be  sledded  to  the 
harbor-ice  over  the  partially  snow-covered  ground.  "We  were 
three  hours  in  reaching  the  ice,  although  the  distance  was  only 
two  miles  and  our  load  but  six  hundred  pounds.  By  that  time 
we  were  exhausted  by  our  labors,  and  the  steel  runners  were 
worn  through  by  rocks  protruding  from  the  snow. 

At  the  water's  edge  a  large  number  of  pieces  of  drift-wood 
were  found  near  or  slightly  above  the  high-water  mark.  Some 
of  the  pieces  were  six  or  seven  feet  long,  and  from  four  to 
eight  inches  in  diameter.  Nearly  all  were  coniferous  woods. 

We  cached  a  portion  of  our  provisions  for  the  use  of  future 
parties,  and  struck  out  across  the  harbor-floe,  which  we  were 
able  to  reach  over  the  ice-foot  only  with  difficulty,  owing  to  the 
high  stage  of  the  tide  and  consequent  pools  of  water  along  the 
tidal  crack. 

On  September  llth,  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  frosted  foot  being 
well,  accompanied  by  Christiansen  and  Sergeant  Gardiner,  he 
was  sent  with  dog-sledge  to  explore  the  Bellows,  and  was  to 
bring  back  as  much  of  the  musk-meat  as  could  be  hauled  to  the 
water's  edge.  He  returned  on  the  13th,  having  gone  about 
twelve  miles  beyond  the  point  reached  by  Lieutenant  Archer, 
K.N.,  and,  like  that  officer,  he  saw  in  advance  a  narrow  ravine, 
which  was  then  thought  to  be  a  termination  of  the  valley,  but 
a  year  later  it  was  found  to  extend  somewhat  farther. 

From  Bleak  Cape,  he  says,  the  Bellows  appears  to  be  "  A 
broad  valley,  probably  two  or  three  miles  wide  and  quite  level, 
walled  in  by  high  and  steep  cliffs  and  mountains.  Its  apparent 
termination  is  probably  seventeen  miles  distant,  and  bears  K 
340  W."  From  the  apparent  end  the  valley  was  followed  some 
six  miles,  turning  first  north  and  then  about  northwest,  and 
rapidly  narrowing  from  a  mile  to  a  few  hundred  yards  in 
width.  «  Through  the  gap  at  the  end  of  the  valley,"  says  Lieu- 


1881.]  AUTUMN  SLEDGING.  107 

tenant   Lockwood,  "  I  could  see  one  high  peak   covered  with 
snow." 

He  had  the  same  difficult  experience  with  the  sledge,  while 
travelling  up  the  valley,  as  had  been  encountered  by  our  Eng- 
lish predecessors.  The  level  ground  was  but  scantily  covered  with 
snow,  and  the  sharp,  flinty  stones  and  hard  substances  which 
formed  the  bed  of  the  valley  rendered  travelling  exceedingly 


Entrance  to  Bellows  Valley,  October,    1881. 
[Northeastern  Side,  near  Bleak  Cape.'] 

difficult,  and  quite  wore  out  the  steel  shoes  of  the  runners.  The 
last  portion  of  his  outward  trip  was  necessarily  made  on  foot. 
He  found  between  Black  Cape  and  Devil's  Back  a  considerable 
quantity  of  lignite  coal  in  small  pieces,  but  was  unable  to  dis- 
cover the  seam  from  which  it  came.  It  is  evident  that  this 
coal  was  likewise  seen  by  Lieutenant  Archer,  R.X.,  who  "found 
the  valley  to  consist  of  ...  shingle,  .  .  .  mixed  with 


108  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

some  substance  very  much  like  charcoal."  The  coal  in  every 
way  resembled  that  which  came  from  the  ravine  near  "Water- 
course Bay. 

One  of  the  interesting  results  of  this  trip  was  the  discovery  of 
a  large  piece  of  knotty  pine,  three  feet  long  and  eight  inches  in 
diameter,  frozen  in  the  earth  in  the  bed  of  the  valley,  two 
miles  or  more  from  Black  Cape,  at  an  elevation  above  the  sea 
of  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  Two  musk-cattle  were 
seen  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  near  the  head  of  the  valley,  but, 
in  accordance  with  his  orders,  they  were  not  killed.  Vegeta- 
tion, though  scanty  in  many  places,  was  yet  sufficient  in  the 
whole  valley  for  large  herds  of  musk-oxen. 

The  highest  point  of  the  valley-bed  above  the  sea  was  about 
six  hundred  feet.  The  temperature  was  low  during  the  whole 
trip,  sinking  to  1°  (-17.2°  C.)  on  September  13th,  and,  with  the 
constant  wind,  which  gave  the  Bellows  its  name,  made  the  trip 
a  trying  one. 

On  September  15th  I  concluded  that  the  new  ice  in  Archer 
Fiord  must  be  sufficiently  strong  for  travelling,  and  with  its  ex- 
cellent condition  as  seen  by  me  a  few  days  before  I  hoped  that 
a  party  could  reach  Beatrix  Bay  in  a  couple  of  days'  travel,  and 
thus  make  an  attempt  to  cross  the  Grinnell  Land  coast  to  the 
westward,  or  at  any  rate  establish,  for  the  use  of  a  future  party, 
a  cache  at  the  farthest  point  reached.  Dr.  Pavy  beino-  very 
desirous  of  making  the  trip,  he  was  sent  with  Private  Whisler, 
Eskimo  Jens,  and  two  sledges.  He  returned  the  following  day, 
with  the  information  that  the  late  storm  had  broken  up  the  new 
ice  in  Archer  Fiord,  and  that  it  had  been  impossible  for  him  to 
pass  around  Eocky  Cape.  He  cached  his  provisions  on  the  shore 
of  Sun  Bay,  and,  visiting  the  slaughtered  musk-cattle,  brought 
to  the  station  about  five  hundred  pounds  of  meat. 

September  16th,  with  Sergeant  Brainard  and  Private  Bend- 


1881.]  AUTUMTT   SLEDGING.  109 

er,  I  started  on  a  three  days'  inland  journey  toward  the  north- 
west, in  the  hope  of  learning  something  of  the  physical  condi- 
tions of  the  interior  of  Grinnell  Land.  My  knee,  injured  the 
week  before,  was  not  sufficiently  recovered  to  enable  me  to 
make  the  journey,  and  I  was  obliged  to  send  in  my  place  Pri- 
vate Connell  who  had  accompanied  us  a  few  miles.  The  party 
succeeded  in  penetrating  some  twenty-five  miles  to  the  north-* 
west,  where  they  reached  a  high  "  divide,"  from  which  they 
had  reason  to  believe  water  drained  to  the  westward.  A  heavy 
snow-storm  springing  up  prevented  any  views  to  the  westward, 
and  obliged  them  to  return  to  the  station.  This  journey  was 
made  on  foot,  the  sleeping-bag,  food,  and  cooking  apparatus  be- 
ing carried  in  packs. 

Although  the  ice  of  Discovery  Harbor,  composed  of  old  floes 
cemented  by  young  ice,  was  practicable  for  sledging  early  in 
September,  it  was  not  until  the  end  of  the  month  that  the  sea 
around  Distant  Cape  was  sufficiently  frozen  to  be  passable  for 
sledges.  The  heavy  tides  and  strong  currents  which  prevailed 
off  that  point  caused  ice  to  form  late  in  the  autumn,  and  to  break 
up  at  an  equally  early  date  in  the  spring.  This  proved  unfortu- 
nate for  us,  as  I  had  hoped  to  obtain  for  use  at  the  station  an  ad- 
ditional supply  of  coal  from  the  mine  in  Water-course  Ravine, 
which,  difficult  of  access  overland,  could  be  reached  by  sledges 
over  an  easy  route  around  Dutch  Island  and  Distant  Cape.  On 
September  20th  I  examined  the  ice  around  that  cape,  and  found 
that  by  crossing  the  extreme  point  overland,  and  by  using  the 
axe  freely,  a  sledge  could  be  got  by  the  open  water  at  the  point 
of  the  Cape.  The  following  day  I  sent  Dr.  Pavy  and  Jens  with 
sledge  and  seven  hundred  pounds  of  provisions  to  be  taken  to 
Cape  Murchison.  He  returned,  unable  to  pass  Distant  Cape, 
but  later  in  the  day,  with  Sergeants  Brainard  and  Eice,  I  got 
the  sled  around  the  Cape ;  a  runner  breaking  in  Watercourse 


110  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

Bay,  the  supplies  were  not  moved  to  the  north  side  of  St. 
Patrick  Bay  until  the  next  day,  by  Sergeant  Brainard. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood,  with  five  men,  started,  September  24th, 
to  add  stores  to  Depot  "  B  "  (Cape  Beechy).  The  eight-man 
sledge  was  used,  and  the  party,  hauling  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds  to  the  man,  made  the  outward  journey,  some  twenty- 
eight  miles,  in  two  days.  Sergeant  Rice  followed  them  with  a 
dog-sledge  with  additional  supplies.  Lieutenant  Lockwood's 
trip  resulted  most  satisfactorily,  in  adding  important  supplies 
to  Depot  "  B,"  and  in  giving  him  valuable  experience  in  sledg- 
ing work.  During  the  absence  of  the  party  the  average  tem- 
perature was  -2°  (-19°  C.),  and  one  observation  was  as  low  as 
-10.9°  (-23.8°  C.).  Despite  the  severe  spell  of  autumn  cold, 
the  wrork  was  done  without  disaster  or  material  suffering. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood,  in  returning  from  Depot  "  B,"  brought 
from  near  the  head  of  St.  Patrick  Bay  a  section  of  a  large  conif- 
erous tree,  probably  pine.  This  section,  from  the  centre,  was 
nine  and  one-half  inches  in  diameter.  The  tree  as  found  was  a 
smooth,  perfect  bole,  unworked  and  but  little  worn  by  tidal 
action.  It  was  in  the  same  position,  just  above  tide-water,  as 
when  first  seen  by  Connell  and  Christiansen,  September  9th. 

Dr.  Pavy  believing  sledge  travelling  practicable  along  the 
Grinnell  Land  coast,  and  expressing  his  confidence  of  reaching 
the  vicinity  of  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  I  determined  to  send  him 
again  northward.  On  this  occasion  he  was  to  be  accompanied 
by  Private  Whisler,  and  use  the  two  dog-teams  of  the  expedi- 
tion, driving  one  himself,  while  the  other  was  to  be  under  the 
skilful  management  of  Eskimo  Jens. 

His  orders  required  them  to  leave  September  30th,  but,  much 
to  Dr.  Pavy's  disappointment,  I  postponed  his  departure,  not 
deeming  it  prudent  to  send  a  party  into  the  field  in  the  face  of 
a  driving  snow-storm  at  a  temperature  of  zero,  Fahrenheit. 


1881.]  AUTUMN   SLEDGING.  Ill 

He  left  October  2d,  with  instructions  to  proceed  to  Cape 
Joseph  Henry,  searching  en  route  for  drift-wood  or  other  traces 
of  the  Jeannette.  In  addition  to  this  work,  he  was  also  directed 
to  lay  out  along  the  Grinnell  Land  coast  such  depots  of  provi- 
sions as  would  facilitate  spring  travel  in  that  direction.  He 
took  certain  supplies  from  the  home  station,  and  was  authorized 
to  add  the  balance  from  Depot  "  B." 

To  the  northward  of  Cape  Beechy  the  party  found  a  narrow, 
broken  ice-foot,  which  was  covered  in  many  places  by  floebergs 
and  heavy  pack-ice  forced  up  by  the  violence  of  late  storms. 
Farther  north  the  ice-foot  was  found  to  have  been  broken 
up  by  the  sea  in  some  places,  and,  becoming  worse  and  worse, 
finally  failed  altogether,  as  it  had  not  yet  formed  for  the  winter. 
It  was  consequently  necessary  to  turn  back  at  the  southern  ter- 
mination of  the  Black  Cliffs,  to  the  south  of  Wrangel  Bay. 
The  ice  to  the  eastward,  in  Robeson  Channel,  was  reported  by 
Dr.  Favy  to  consist  of  quantities  of  rubble  cemented  by  new  ice, 
and  occasionally  broken  in  by  small  lanes  of  water,  the  presence 
of  which  rendered  a  passage  around  Black  Cliffs  over  the  sea- 
ice  utterly  impossible.  Dr.  Pavy  then  returned  to  Depot  "  B," 
and  attempted  an  inland  passage  to  the  westward  of  Mount 
Beaufort.  He  eventually  found  connecting  valleys,  which  en- 
abled him  with  difficulty,  owing  to  the  scanty  amount  of  snow 
on  the  ground,  to  reach  Wrangel  Bay,  by  passing  over  the  low 
"  divide  "  which  separated  the  valleys  at  an  altitude  of  about 
seventeen  hundred  feet  above  the  sea. 

While  crossing  the  "  divide  "  into  the  bay,  two  ptarmigan 
were  seen,  one  of  which  Eskimo  Jens  killed  with  his  revolver. 
Although  these  birds  are  without  doubt  permanent  habitants  of 
Grinnell  Land,  and  traces  were  seen  later  in  the  season,  yet 
but  one  other  covey  of  them  was  seen  until  spring.  The 
natural  coloring,  which  has  been  vouchsafed  in  such  a  remark- 


112  THREE   YEAES   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Oct., 

able  degree  to  the  rock-ptarmigan,  renders  it  nearly  impossible 
to  see  them,  except  by  acute  observation  and  in  very  close 
proximity. 

Dr.  Pavy  pushed  northward  through  Wrangel  Bay,  finding 
the  narrow  ice-foot  of  the  same  broken  and  difficult  character 
as  that  below.  lie  eventually  reached  with  his  man  a  point 
near  Mount  Parry,  where  he  cached  a  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
of  pemmican  and  fifty  pounds  of  bread.  Lack  of  ice-foot  farther 
and  the  open  condition  of  the  floe-ice  in  Robeson  Channel  pre- 
vented advance  beyond  that  place.  They  were  obliged  to  spend 
one  night  on  an  insecure  ice-foot  but  a  few  yards  in  width,  in 
constant  danger  on  one  side  by  falling  stones  from  the  high, 
precipitous  cliffs,  and  on  the  other  from  the  effect  of  the  heavy 
gale,  which,  forcing  huge  palaeocrystic  floebergs  against  the  un- 
sheltered ice-foot,  was  liable  at  any  moment  to  topple  large  over- 
hanging ice-blocks  upon  the  camping  party. 

Some  alarm,  which  turned  into  amusement,  arose  from  Whis- 
ler  being  attacked  by  "  nightmare,"  which  caused  him  to  be- 
lieve that  the  ice-foot,  with  tent,  \vas  being  carried  into  the 
straits,  and  to  rush  with  fright  from  his  sleeping-bag  and  the 
tent,  awakening  arid  alarming  his  comrades. 

Dr.  Pavy  reached  Conger  October  9th,  convinced,  from  his 
experiences,  that  travelling  northward  along  the  Grinnell  Land 
coast  was  rarely  practicable  in  autumn. 

Having  made  autumn  trips  and  explorations  in  all  other 
quarters,  our  attention  was  turned  toward  Cape  Lieber,  with  the 
intention  later  of  exploring  the  interior  of  Judge  Daly  Penin- 
sula. Kear  the  end  of  September  Sergeants  Brainard  and 
Jewell  made  an  attempt  to  reach  Cape  Baird,  which  proved  un- 
successful, owing  to  the  unsafe  condition  of  the  ice  in  Lady 
Franklin  Bay.  The  character  of  the  ice  in  that  direction  was 
exceedingly  rough.  It  was  evident  that  the  old  floe  had  not 


1881.]  AUTUMN   SLEDGING.  113 

been  firmly  united  by  young  ice,  but  was  yet  liable  to  separate 
during  heavy  tides  or  strong  winds. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  tried  the  ice  again  unsuccessfully 
October  7th,  but,  finding  conditions  more  favorable  on  October 
10th,  established  a  small  depot  near  Cape  Baird  for  hunting  or 
exploring  parties.  Sergeants  Brainard  and  Rice  were  at  the 
same  time  engaged  in  obtaining  photographs  of  the  country  ad- 
joining the  Bellows,  and  in  bringing  in  the  musk-cattle  killed 
and  cached  near  the  entrance  to  that  valley.  In  both  these 
trips  the  Hudson  Bay  sledge,  constructed  by  our  carpenters, 
Elison  and  Cross,  did  excellent  service.  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
reported  the  sledge  as  satisfactory,  and  Sergeant  Rice  said  that 
the  work  devolving  on  his  party  could  have  been  done  by  no 
other  sledge. 

These  trips  closed  what  I  have  considered  as  autumn  sledg- 
ing, and  others  later  are  treated  as  winter  work. 

Autumn  went  and  winter  came  with  the  departure,  for  four 
and  a  half  months,  of  the  sun.  The  beginning  of  the  long 
Arctic  night  found  the  party  in  excellent  health  and  spirits,  and 
with  firm  faith  and  confidence  in  their  ability  to  meet  the  hard- 
ships of  the  next  season,  and  to  improve  in  the  coming  spring 
on  the  quantity  and  quality  of  their  sledging  work. 

Our  autumn  labors,  as  regarded  the  Grinnell  Land  coast,  had 
been  successful  beyond  my  anticipations.  Four  depots  had  been 
established  to  the  northward,  the  condition  of  the  stores  at 
Lincoln  Bay  ascertained,  points  previously  unknown  reached 
toward  the  interior,  over  three  tons  of  fresh  meat  obtained  by 
the  hunt,  and  much  valuable  and  practical  information  gained 
as  to  the  physical  character  of  the  country,  and  as  to  other  con- 
ditions bearing  on  field-work  in  that  region. 

In  acquiring  a  practical  knowledge  of  sledging  in  such  high 
latitudes,  and  under  trying  conditions  common  to  all  autumn 


114  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

work,  it  was  gratifying  that  no  accident  or  disaster  had  oc- 
curred. Not  the  least  benefit  resulting  from  this  experience  was 
the  development  of  minor,  but  none  the  less  important,  defects 
in  our  sledging-gear  and  the  manner  in  which  the  work  was 
conducted.  Nowhere  more  than  in  Arctic  sledging  do  widely 
varying  and  quickly  changing  conditions  demand  greater  shifts 
and  expedients  to  insure  moderate  or  complete  success. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SUNLIGHT   TO    DARKNESS. 

/^\UR  life  at  the  station  during  this  time  was  by  no  means 
devoid  of  interest.  The  completion  of  the  house,  the 
placing  of  our  scientific  instruments,  the  construction  of  meteor- 
ological, astronomical,  and  magnetic  observatories  had  kept  our 
carpenter  force  busy  for  many  weeks,  and  until  the  middle  of 
September  no  one  had  scarce  a  breathing  spell. 

The  birds  had  generally  disappeared  before  the  Proteus  de- 
parted, and  such  game  as  was  in  our  immediate  neighborhood 
had  been  secured.  Twenty-six  musk-oxen,  ten  ducks,  a  hare, 
two  seal,  and  a  ptarmigan  rewarded  our  hunter's  efforts  during 
September  and  October,  which  afforded  about  six  thousand 
pounds  of  fresh  meat  for  the  party,  and  nearly  an  equal  amount 
of  offal  for  our  dogs. 

Lieutenant  Kislingbury  hunted  assiduously  in  the  immediate 


110  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Sept., 

neighborhood  from  the  end  of  August,  but  no  game  was  to  be 
found.  The  only  visible  life  noted  by  him  at  that  time  were 
spiders,  mosquitoes,  flies,  caterpillars,  moths,  and  "  daddy  long- 
legs  "  on  the  hills,  and  a  few  chubs  and  minnow  in  Lake  Alex- 
andra. The  mosquitoes,  numerous  and  troublesome  at  the 
Greenland  ports,  were  fortunately  few. 

The  severe  temperatures  in  August  (as  low  as  15.6°  or  -9.1°  C. 
was  noted)  covered  the  sea  with  ice,  dried  up  our  running 
brooks,  drove  southward  the  migratory  birds,  and  played  sad 
havoc  with  the  vegetation.  The  gay,  yellow  poppies  were  cut 
down,  but  other  hardy  flowers,  purple  and  snowy  saxifrages  and 
the  white  daisy,  flourished  during  the  early  days  of  September. 
The  summer  birds  had  gone  the  middle  of  August — an  unusu- 
ally early  date,  as  Lieutenant  Aldrich  on  September  10,  1875, 
saw  a  flock  of  turnstone  on  this  coast  nearly  seventy  miles  to 
the  northward.  The  fabled  instinct  of  the  feathery  tribe  to 
foretell  a  severe  season  was  not  needed  to  explain  their  depart- 
ure, which  resulted  from  the  frost  cutting  off  their  supply  of 
food. 

I  was  somewhat  surprised  to  learn,  on  September  3d,  that  the 
shallow  ponds,  to  which  the  dried-up  creeks  drove  us  for  water, 
were  full  of  animalcules  of  considerable  size.  The  water  was 
strained  for  a  few  days,  but  as  otherwise  inexplicable  headaches 
and  nausea  occurred  among  some  of  the  men,  I  had  recourse 
for  cooking-  and  drinking-water  to  ice  obtained  from  the  palseo- 
crystic  floes  in  the  harbor. 

The  first  signs  of  the  coming  polar  night  were  noted  on  the 
evening  of  September  Uth,  when  a  grateful  change  to  the  eyes 
came,  with  a  bright  moon  and  the  sight  of  a  star  of  the  first 
magnitude.  While  the  mental  irritation  and  depression  conse- 
quent on  the  Arctic  night  are  not  experienced  during  the  polar 
day,  yet  the  latter  has  disadvantages.  In  some  a  marked  ten- 


1881.]  SUNLIGHT  TO   DARKNESS.  117 

dency  to  sleeplessness  developed,  and  even  the  most  methodical 
fell  into  irregular  hours  and  habits,  unless  routine  was  imposed 
on  them. 

September  6th  was  marked  by  Jens  killing  a  fiord  seal  (Phoca 
hispida),  and  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  making  a  trip  over  the 
harbor-floe  to  Bellot  Island,  the  ice  being  strong  and  firm  the 
whole  distance. 

Although  we  had  passed  far  beyond  the  confines  of  civiliza- 
tion, yet  the  same  official  routine  was  necessary  in  many  respects 
as  in  lower  latitudes.  On  the  10th  of  the  month  Private  Julius 
Frederick  was  formally  discharged  from  service  for  expiration 
of  term  of  enlistment  and  as  formally  re-enlisted  on  the  follow- 
ing day.  Sergeant  Brainard's  discharge  and  re-enlistment  fol- 
lowed in  a  like  manner  a  few  days  later. 

On  September  10th  a  heavy  northerly  gale  occurred,  which, 
in  conjunction  with  the  position  of  the  moon,  caused  an  un- 
usually high  tide.  Advantage  was  taken  of  these  circumstances 
to  cut  the  launch  Lady  Greely  out  of  the  ice,  and  haul  her  up 
inside  of  the  ice-foot.  With  the  whole  force  we  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  her  to  a  point  where,  at  the  extreme  high 
tide,  there  was  less  than  a  foot  of  water  under  her  keel.  She 
remained  in  that  condition,  undisturbed  by  the  winter  gales 
or  the  moving  ice-foot,  until  launched  again  the  ensuing  sum- 
mer. 

Our  usual  psalms  on  the  llth  were  supplemented  by  prayer 
for  those  who  travel,  a  practice  regularly  followed  whenever 
sledge  parties  were  in  the  field. 

Much  surprise  and  excitement  was  caused,  September  13th, 
by  the  appearance  of  a  large  band  of  wolves  upon  the  harbor- 
floe  near  the  house.  Their  gaunt,  slight  forms  showed  up 
in  a  remarkable  manner  as  the  light  fog,  which  at  that  time 
covered  the  country  to  the  westward,  magnified  greatly  their 


118  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Oct., 

size,  and  some  of  them  appeared  to  be  as  large  as  yearling 
steers.* 

Thirteen  to  eighteen  were  counted  in  the  pack.  While  they 
showed  no  signs  of  timidity,  yet  they  were  very  careful  to  keep 
a  proper  and  discreet  distance,  and  none  of  our  hunters  were 
able  to  get  within  gun-shot.  This  caution,  while  in  keeping 
with  the  general  habits  of  the  Arctic  wolf,  which  has  been 
rarely  killed  by  hunters,  seems  surprising,  when  we  reflect  that 
these  animals  could  never  have  been  hunted,  and  doubtless  had 
never  seen  anything  but  a  bear  which  could  injure  them. 

The  tenacity  with  which  Arctic  animals  hold  to  life  was  fre- 
quently instanced  in  our  experiences,  and  it  occurred  to  me 
whether  it  did  not  arise  from  the  survival  of  the  strongest 
and  hardiest  in  a  clime  where  nature  ever  seems  at  strife  with 
nature's  life.  A  few  days  later  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and 
Private  Henry  while  hunting  ran  across  a  small  pack  of  wolves, 
of  which  they  shot  two,  but  both  escaped.  The  ball  from 
Henry's  rifle  went  completely  through  the  body  of  one  of  the 
animals,  which  bled  profusely.  The  wolf  was  closely  followed 
by  its  bloody  trail  for  several  hours,  but  could  not  be  caught. 

September  26th  a  wolf  came  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
house,  and  in  the  early  twilight  was  for  a  time  mistaken  for  one 
of  the  dogs.  He  was  eventually  pursued  by  Lieutenant  Kisling- 
bury and  several  men,  and  was  shot  through  the  body  by  that 
officer.  The  wolf,  knocked  down  by  the  ball,  lost  at  least  a  cup- 
ful of  blood,  and  afterward  continued  to  lose  it  steadily.  He 

*  This  exaggeration  of  size  by  a  fog  is  well  illustrated  by  an  incident  in  Frank- 
lin's second  journey.  His  men,  by  great  patience  and  caution,  had  succeeded 
in  stealing  upon  some  deer,  and  were  congratulating  themselves  on  their  good 
fortune  in  getting  within  gunshot,  when  to  their  amazement  and  annoyance, 
the  animals  took  to  wing,  and  by  cackle  and  scream  left  no  further  doubt  as  to 
their  identity  as  geese. 


1881.]  SUNLIGHT  TO  DARKNESS.  119- 

was  chased  for  some  time  without  any  one  getting  again  within 
gun-shot.  He  was  let  alone  for  a  time  in  the  hope  that  he 
would  die,  and  pursued  by  the  hunters  later,  travelled  on,  leav- 
ing drops  of  blood  on  the  snow,  until  he  fell  down  dead,  with 
his  body  substantially  bloodless. 

Disturbed  by  the  proximity  of  such  a  pack,  and  fearing  for 
the  safety  of  our  dogs,  which  showed  terror  and  dismay  at  the 
approach  of  the  wolves,  I  decided  to  destroy  them  by  poison. 
They  showed,  with  the  foxes,  much  craft  and  caution  in  ap- 
proaching the  poisoned  meat,  and  would  touch  none,  though 
several  poisons  were  tried,  until  good  was  mixed  with  the  poi- 
sonous meat.  Even  then  they  avoided  it  at  times.  Lieutenant 
Kislingbury  reported  that  on  one  occasion  the  meat  was  visited 
by  foxes,  who  ate  all  the  good  meat  and  left  untouched  that 
which  contained  poison.  Eventually  four  wolves  and  a  fox 
were  poisoned,  and  the  rest  disappeared  for  that  season  at 
least. 

Lamps  were  first  lighted  for  general  use  on  September  16th, 
and  the  next  day  our  bath-room,  a  warm,  well-arranged  place, 
was  completed. 

The  first  birthday  at  Conger  occurred  on  September  17th, 
that  of  Private  Whisler,  who  completed  his  twenty-fourth  year. 
The  occasion  was  taken  to  inaugurate  a  practice,  which  was  in- 
variably followed  during  our  service  at  Conger,  of  exempting 
the  man  from  duty  and  of  allowing  him  to  select  the  dinner 
from  our  entire  list  of  dainties  and  provisions.  In  addition,  a 
quart  of  rum  was  given  him  for  such  disposition  as  he  thought 
fit  to  make  of  it.  The  equitable  disposition  of  it  by  Whisler 
among  the  party  established  a  precedent  which  was  regularly 
followed. 

The  temperature  fell  below  zero  on  the  20th,  reaching  —6.9° 
(—21.6°  C.)  during  the  day.  This  was  probably  the  earliest 


120  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Oct., 

autumn  date  on  which  zero,  Fahrenheit  (  —  17.8°  C.),  had 
been  recorded,  the  earliest  approximate  date  being  that  of 
Parry  at  Melville  Island,  1819,  -1.1°  (-18.3°  C.),  September 
26th. 

Occasional  solar  haloes  were  seen  during  the  month,  some  of 
which  were  of  very  great  beauty.  That  on  the  21st  was  a 
brilliant  display,  which  lasted  for  five  hours.  These  were  parts 
of  two  concentric  rings,  distant  23°  and  46°  respectively  from 
the  sun,  which  were  marked  by  five  mock  suns,  where  the  rain- 
bow tints  were  most  clearly  displayed.  This  was  followed  the 
same  evening  by  our  first  auroral  display — delicate,  convoluted 
ribbons  of  colorless  light  of  varying  intensity,  which  glowed 
and  burned  a  short  hour  south  of  the  zenith  till  the  gathering 
clouds  obscured  it.* 

The  halo  of  the  24th  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  I  have 
ever  seen.  It  was  a  double  halo,  there  being  two  perfect  con- 
centric half-circles,  distant  23°  and  46°  from  the  sun,  each 
half-circle  having  a  contact  arch  of  marked  clearness.  Six 
mock  suns,  two  on  either  hand  and  two  above  the  real  sun,  ap- 
peared during  a  part  of  the  day,  the  prismatic  colors  in  each 
case  being  as  vivid  and  clear  as  in  any  rainbow.  For  the  greater 
part  of  the  forenoon  the  heavens  were  filled  with  such  glory 
and  wealth  of  color  as  surpassed  any  powers  of  description. 
Similar  magnificent  phenomena  were  observed  by  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  and  his  party  from  Depot  "  B." 

The  comparatively  short  distance  between  the  observer  and 
the  phenomena  is  shown  by  various  observations.  At  one  time 
a  considerable  part  of  the  circle  of  23°  with  its  mock  sun  was 

*  This  ribbon-like  form  to  the  aurora  appears  to  be  an  arctic  characteristic. 
As  far  as  I  know,  it  was  first  noted  by  Whymper  during  his  Alaskan  experi- 
ences, and  later  by  Nares.  It  was  the  most  general  form  of  all  during  our 
many  auroral  displays. 


1881.]  SUNLIGHT   TO   DARKNESS.  121 

most  distinctly  and  clearly  outlined  against  Cairn  Hill,  the 
background  of  the  halo  not  exceeding  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
in  distance  from  the  station.  Captain  Nares  at  Floeberg  Beach, 
noted  a  mock  moon  but  two  hundred  and  fifty^ards  distant. 
Later  our  astronomer,  Sergeant  Israel,  a  very  reliable  observer, 
observed  a  mock  sun  against  our  meteorological  observatory,  at 
a  distance  of  less  than  thirty  yards. 

Our  first  fire  occurred  on  the  22d — a  large  hospital  tent,  pitched 
near  the  house  and  used  as  a  carpenter's  shop.  Despite  prompt 
efforts,  the  use  of  fire  extinguishers,  and  plenty  of  water,  the 
tent  and  its  contents  were  a  total  loss.  Fortunately  we  had 
duplicates  of  most  of  the  tools  elsewhere.  I  had  made  it  a 
point  to  scatter  and  divide  our  stores,  and,  though  an  incon- 
venient arrangement  at  times,  it  afforded  security  against  ir- 
reparable disaster  from  fire.  Carelessness,  as  usual,  caused  the 
conflagration.  Early  in  the  month  a  fire-hole  six  feet  square 
had  been  opened  in  the  harbor-floe,  so  water  was  at  hand. 
Later  a  fire  organization  was  planned,  and  one  or  two  false 
alarms  made  all  familiar  with  their  places  and  duties. 

Although  the  straits  were  jammed  with  ice,  yet  considerable 
open  water  remained  in  the  neighborhood  of  Distant  Cape,  and 
on  September  28th  Private  Connell  shot  a  fiord  seal  (Phoca 
kispida),  which  he  was  unable  to  obtain  on  account  of  the  ice. 

September  closed  with  the  entire  party  in  excellent  health. 
In  addition  to  considerable  meat  eaten  in  the  field,  nearly  four 
hundred  pounds  of  birds  and  fresh  musk-meat  was  consumed 
during  the  month.  Our  stoves  proved  unsuitable  for  the  in- 
ferior quality  of  coal,  and,  worse  than  that,  burned  five  tons  of 
coal  monthly,  nearly  double  the  proper  amount. 

The  mean  temperature  for  September  was  10.92°  ( — 11.71° 
C.),  the  lowest  on  record,  except  that  of  Kane  at  Van  Rensselaer 
Harbor,  1854,  which  was  9.81°  (—12.33°  C.).  The  minimum, 


122  THREE  TEAKS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Oct., 

-11.9°  (  —  24.4°  C.),  is  the  lowest  on  record  as  far  as  my  knowl- 
edge goes.  Through  the  effects  of  this  remarkable  cold  the 
new  harbor-floe  increased  during  the  month  from  four  and 
three-eighths  to  fifteen  inches  in  thickness. 

The  last  few  days  of  sunlight  were  filled  in  with  hunting 
trips  and  short  excursions  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  station. 
The  fishermen  then  failed  in  Lake  Alexandra  as  the  hunters  by 
land,  but  game  and  fish  were  to  be  had,  for  fish  had  been  seen 
and  glimpses  of  game  obtained.  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  saw 
seven  ptarmigan  (Lagopus  nipestns)  on  October  2d,  which  had 
replaced  their  summer  plumage  of  black  and  brown  by  a  perfect 
coat  of  spotless  white.  These  birds  beyond  doubt  are  winter 
habitants  of  Grinnell  Land,  but  these  were  the  last  specimens 
seen  that  autumn.  During  the  Arctic  twilight  they  could  be 
seen  only  by  accident,  for  their  plumage  so  resembles  the  color 
of  new-fallen  snow  that  only  a  keen  eye  can  distinguish  their 
outlines.  A  prowling  wolf  visited  our  meat-caches,  and  a  cun- 
ning fox  was  seen  near,  only  a  few  days  before  the  sun  left  us 
for  the  winter. 

Sergeants  Brainard  and  Rice  succeeded  in  reaching  the  sum- 
mit of  Mount  Ovibos,  but  to  do  so  they  were  obliged  to  make 
a  long  detour  to  the  westward  by  way  of  Lake  Alexandra.  The 
lake  was  two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  and  the  summit  of  Mount 
Ovibos  twenty-two  hundred  and  forty -four  feet  above  the  sea. 
Their  labors  were  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  a  few  snow-covered 
hogback  mountains,  far  to  the  northwest. 

The  extremely  rapid  approach  of  darkness  is  a  marked  char- 
acteristic of  all  very  high  latitudes.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  first  star  at  midnight  was  not  seen  by  us  until  Septem- 
ber 9th,  and  yet  on  October  8th  the  use  of  lamps  became  neces- 
sary within  doors,  except  for  an  hour  at  midday. 

Our  last  day  of  possible  sunlight  came — October  loth.     All 


1881.]  SUNLIGHT  TO   DARKNESS.  123 

had  an  uneasy,  restless  feeling  while  watching  and  waiting  for 
the  sun's  appearance,  the  clouds  in  the  south  rendering  it  un- 
certain if  we  should  be  favored  with  its  rays  at  the  station.  I 
visited  high  ground  some  distance  to  the  northward  for  a  better 
standpoint.  Just  after  midday,  my  journal  says,  "  A  few  rays 
breaking  through  the  clouds  gilded  to  the  north  the  rounded, 
snowy  summit  of  the  Hogback  (two  thousand  and  nine  hundred 
feet  in  elevation),  while  dense  water-clouds,  which  rose  from 
Kennedy  Channel  to  serve  as  a  beautiful  background  to  the 
mountains  of  Daly  Promontory,  cut  off  all  direct  rays  from 
lower  ground.  From  time  to  time  the  brightly  illumined 
clouds  would  drift  slowly  to  the  south,  and  as  the  delicate 
shades  of  pearly  gray  gave  way  to  gorgeous  coloring  of  mellow 
orange  and  fiery  red,  from  moment  to  moment  I  hoped  the 
curtain  would  roll  back  and  the  sun  shine  forth.  Once  for  a 
few  moments  the  red  rays  of  refracted  light  lighted  up  the 
inner  harbor  and  outer  bay.  This  magic  touch  of  color,  blend- 
ing with  the  snowy  covering,  gave  a  new  glory  to  our  Arctic 
scenery,  which  was  further  intensified  and  idealized  by  the 
rosy,  curling  columns  of  vapor  rising  in  the  dense,  cold  air  from 
the  few  water-spaces."  The  reds  faded  into  yellow,  the  pearly 
grays  were  rapidly  replaced  by  the  dull  leaden  hue,  which  told 
that  sunshine  had  passed  and  the  polar  day  had  given  way  to 
the  long  reign  of  twilight  and  Arctic  darkness. 


CHAPTER  XL 

OUR    SCIENTIFIC    OBSERVATIONS. 

rnilE  primary  object  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition 
being  to  carry  out  the  scientific  programme  of  the  Ham- 
burg Polar  Conference,  the  utmost  care  was  given  to  physical 
observations.  The  series  commenced  on  July  1,  1881,  at  St. 
Johns,  Newfoundland,  and  terminated  June  21,  1884,  forty 
hours  before  the  rescue  of  the  survivors. 

Summaries  of  these,  and  such  other  observations  as  are  of 
general  interest,  will  be  found  in  the  appendices  of  this  work. 
To  avoid  tediqusness  and  repetition,  allusions  are  made  in  the 
body  of  the  narrative  only  to  such  as  are  of  special  interest  or 
importance. 

The  observations  as  to  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere,  tem- 
perature and  dew-point  of  the  air,  direction  and  force  of  the 
wind,  quantity,  kind  and  movement  of  clouds,  the  aurora  and 
the  state  of  the  weather,  were  made  hourly  after  the  vicinity  of 
Fort  Conger  was  reached. 

On  the  upward  journey  by  vessel  the  temperature  of  the  sea- 
water  at  the  surface  and  when  practicable  at  ten  metres  (32.8 
feet),  was  noted  first  every  four  hours,  and  later  hourly.  On 
occasion  these  observations  were  supplemented  by  soundings, 
with  serial  deep-sea  temperatures  by  means  of  the  Negretti- 
Zambra  thermometer.  After  our  arrival  at  Conger,  serial  sea- 
temperatures  were  recorded  on  the  1st,  llth,  and  21st  of  each 
mouth,  at  which  time  the  thickness  of  the  sea-floe  was  also 


OUR  SCIENTIFIC   OBSERVATIONS.  125 

noted.  Surface  sea-temperatures  were  observed  the  second 
year  at  every  high  and  low  water. 

Our  observations  were  always  made  by  Washington  mean 
time,  and  reference  to  that  time  is  invariably  meant  when  only 
the  hour  and  minute  are  given.  To  reduce  to  Conger  mean 
time,  it  is  necessary  to  add  forty-nine  minutes. 

The  temperatures  given  in  this  narrative  are  corrected  from 
tests  with  frozen  mercury,  that  metal  being  assumed  to  solidify 
at  a  temperature  of  —37.9°  F.  (—38.8°  C.).  Thermometers 
having  but  very  small  errors  at  high  temperatures  required  large 
corrections  at  —40°  (—40°  C.),  reading  from  two  to  five  degrees 
too  low.  Some  of  our  alcohol  thermometers  were  so  unreliable 
that  they  were  never  used.  I  could  have  sent  these  costly  spirit 
thermometers  into  the  field,  from  which  actual  though  erroneous 
readings  of  -80°  (-62.2°  C.)  to  -90°  (-67.8°  C.)  could  have 
been  obtained.  Extremely  low  temperature  readings,  made  in 
connection  with  Arctic  explorations  or  otherwise,  must  be  re- 
ceived with  caution,  unless  the  history  and  accuracy  of  the 
thermometer  can  be  vouched  for.  Honest  but  inexperienced 
observers,  in  ignorance  of  the  true  facts,  have  frequently  misled 
themselves  and  others. 

Some  excellent  standard  thermometers,  of  bisulphide  of  car- 
bon, pure  spirits  of  wine,  and  ether,  were  made  for  the  expedi- 
tion, under  the  careful  supervision  of  Professor  "Waldo  of  Yale 
College  Observatory.  They  were  graduated  in  millimetres  arbi- 
trarily, and  so  served  as  an  excellent  check  on  other  instruments. 
Their  errors  at  freezing  mercury  proved  to  be  inconsiderable, 
less  than  a  degree  Fahrenheit. 

Our  thermometers  were  exposed  in  a  large  wooden  shelter  of 
Louvre  pattern,  four  feet  square  and  seven  high,  which  was  sit- 
uated about  forty  yards  northeast  of  the  house.  The  instru- 
ments were  fastened  to  a  sheet-iron  drum,  so  made  as  to  revolve, 


126 


THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


which  was  shielded  by  another  small  shelter,  made  after  the 
Louvre  pattern,  of  galvanized  iron. 

The  anemometer  and  wind-vane  were  placed  on  the  ridge- 
pole of  the  main  building,  where  the  exposure  was  excellent. 


Observer  making  Temperature  Observations  at  Fort  Conger. 

In  order  to  secure  most  reliable  barometric  readings,  the 
observer,  before  making  the  current  observation,  verified  each 
hour  the  vernier  reading  of  the  preceding  hour,  and  in  case  a 


OUR   SCIENTIFIC    OBSERVATIONS.  127 

change  greater  than  .03  inch  in  the  hour  had  occurred  the  ob- 
server reported  it  to  me,  whether  day  or  night. 

The  solar  and  terrestrial  radiation  thermometers  furnished 
the  expedition  had  such  limited  range  to  their  scales,  that  the 
observations  were  necessarily  discontinued  at  the  most  impor- 
tant seasons,  i.e.,  from  the  middle  of  October  to  March  1st. 

The  magnetic  observatory  was  situated  about  two  hundred 
yards  northeast  of  the  main  building.  It  was  a  wooden  structure, 
about  eight  by  fourteen  feet  in  size,  which  was  secured  and  fas- 
tened by  wooden  pegs  in  default  of  copper  nails.  A  heavy  bank 
of  earth  and  sod  to  its  eaves,  supplemented  by  snow  and  ice  dur- 
ing the  winter,  somewhat  ameliorated  its  Arctic  temperature, 
but  it  still  remained  an  uncomfortable  building  the  first  year. 
During  the  term-days  of  the  second  year,  when  the  observers 
remained  in  it  the  entire  day,  it  was  made  comfortable  by  the 
construction  of  a  small  fireplace  and  chimney. 

The  magnetometer  was  mounted  on  a  stout  tripod,  its  solidity 
being  ensured  by  freezing  the  legs  of  the  stand  into  the  earth. 
Of  this  instrument  ten  readings  were  made  hourly,  except  on 
the  1st  and  15th  of  each  month,  which  were  known  as  term- 
days.  On  term-day  two  readings  were  made  every  five  minutes, 
except  during  one  hour,  when  two  readings  were  made  every 
twenty  seconds. 

For  the  uninitiated  it  should  be  said,  that  the  object  of  these 
readings  was  to  note  the  declination  of  the  magnetic  needle. 

In  the  greater  part  of  the  world  the  compass  does  not  point 
to  the  geographical  pole,  and  the  saying,  "  true  as  the  needle  to 
the  pole,"  is  only  an  inaccurate  simile.  The  magnetic  declina- 
tion of  any  place  is  the  difference  between  the  geographical 
pole  and  the  quarter  to  which  the  needle  actually  points,  and  is 
measured  in  degrees  to  the  east  or  west.  For  instance,  where 
the  needle  points  to  the  tme  west,  the  declination  is  said  to  be 


128  THREE   YEARS    OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

90°  W.,  and  when  pointing  to  the  southwest,  to  be  135°  W.  At 
Fort  Conger,  in  1882,  the  magnetic  needle  pointed  between  the 
west  and  southwest,  the  declination  being  100°  13'  W. 

In  the  magnetometer  a  small  magnet,  freely  suspended  by  a 
single  fibre  of  untwisted  silk,  swings  readily  in  any  horizontal 
direction.  This  magnet,  at  Conger,  was  never  quiet,  not  even 
on  what  are  technically  known  as  calm  days,  but  swung  to  and 
fro  in  a  restless,  uneasy  way,  which  at  various  times  impressed 
me  with  an  uncanny  feeling  quite  foreign  to  my  nature.  As  it 
swung  to  right  and  left,  its  movement  was  clearly  outlined  on  a 
fixed,  illumined,  glass  scale,  which  served  as  a  background,  and 
the  extreme  oscillations,  seen  through  a  small  telescope  by  the 
observer,  were  recorded. 

In  the  other  end  of  the  building  was  placed,  on  a  stable  pier, 
a  dip-circle,  from  which  the  inclination  or  dip  of  the  magnetic 
needle  was  hourly  determined.  A  magnetic  needle,  nicely  and 
delicately  balanced,  in  the  middle  latitudes  assumes  a  nearly 
level  position.  At  Conger,  however,  the  needle,  adjusted  so 
that  it  can  move  freely  in  a  vertical  plane,  shows  a  strong 
tendency  to  assume  an  upright  position.  At  a  dip  of  90°  the 
needle  would  be  erect,  while  at  Conger  the  inclination  was 
about  85°. 

In  speaking  of  this  instrument,  it  is  necessary  to  say  that  a 
dip-circle  was  especially  made  for  the  Lady  Franklin  Bav  Ex- 
pedition, but  it  was  by  error  shipped  to  the  United  States  Coast 
Survey.  On  calling  for  it,  when  the  duplicate  instrument  or- 
dered could  not  be  had  in  time,  the  late  Mr.  Carlisle  Patterson, 
then  Superintendent,  promptly  promised  that  it  should  be  sent 
to  me  at  New  York.  On  the  day  of  my  sailing,  a  dip-circle, 
carefully  boxed,  was  received ;  but  on  opening  it,  at  St.  Johns, 
an  old,  rusty,  unreliable  instrument  was  found  in  the  place  of 
the  new  circle.  This  resulted  in  unsatisfactory  and  incomplete 


OUR  SCIENTIFIC   OBSERVATIONS.  129 

observations  at  Conger,  for  the  old  circle  having  upright  stand- 
ards instead  of  transverse  ones,  as  in  the  new,  but  one  end  of 
the  needle  could  be  read.  It  must  always  be  a  matter  of  regret 
that  this  unwarrantable  and  unauthorized  substitution  by  some 
person  was  made,  which  materially  impaired,  if  not  effectually 
destroyed,  the  value  of  our  two  years'  dip-observations. 

Accurate  tidal  observations  in  high  latitudes  have  always 
been  difficult  to  obtain.  As  far  as  I  know,  the  two  years'  ob- 
servations obtained  by  the  expedition  formed  the  first  unbroken 
series  of  any  length  ever  made  from  a  fixed  gauge  in  a  very 
high  latitude.  For  the  greater  part  of  the  time,  the  gauges  in 
use  were  iron  rods,  forced  as  far  as  possible  into  the  stiff  clayey 
bottom.  To  keep  open  the  tide-hole  required  the  constant 
labor  of  two  men,  and  occasionally  other  assistance  was  given 
when  the  gradual,  steady  movement  off  shore  of  the  main-floe 
required  a  corresponding  extension  of  the  tide-hole.  The  main 
floe  moved  in  one  winter  nearly  twenty-five  feet  off  shore.  To 
prevent  the  rapid  formation  of  ice  in  the  tide-hole,  a  large 
snow-house  was  built  over  it.  Additions  were  made  to  the 
original  house  from  time  to  time  as  the  floe  moved.  Despite 
this  protection,  the  ice  in  the  tide-house  formed  to  a  thickness 
of  eight  feet,  partly  from  tidal  overflows.  The  tidal  observa- 
tions of  Conger  were  supplemented  by  observations  on  fixed 
gauges  at  Black  Horn  Cliffs  and  Kepulse  Harbor  on  the  Xorth 
Greenland  coast,  at  Capes  Sumner,  Baird,  Beechy,  Cracroft, 
and  Distant  Cape,  which,  being  simultaneous  with  those  at 
Conger,  can  readily  be  reduced.  These  readings  have  been 
submitted  to  the  Superintendent  of  the  United  States  Coast 
Survey,  and,  united  to  those  of  the  British  expedition  at  Floe- 
berg  Beach  and  Discovery  Harbor,  in  1875,  and  by  Bessels  at 
Thank  God  Harbor,  in  1871,  will  probably  enable  that  tidal- 
expert,  Assistant  Charles  Schott,  to  determine  satisfactorily  the 


130  THREE  YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

co-tidal  curves  of  Robeson  and  Kennedy  Channels  and  the  en- 
trance to  the  Polar  Sea. 

Our  time  observations  were  made  from  a  transit  kindly 
loaned  the  expedition  by  the  superintendent  of  the  Coast  Sur- 
vey, which  was  in  moderately  serviceable  condition.  The 
chronograph,  however,  which  was  furnished  for  the  especial 
purpose  of  registering  the  star  observations  for  time  in  con- 
nection with  the  pendulum  observations,  was  an  incomplete, 
broken-down  affair.  It  certainly  was  sent  by  a  careless  or 
incompetent  person,  whose  action  came  near  frustrating  the 
plans  of  his  department  for  a  valuable  and  unparalleled  series 
of  observations.  Fortunately,  Sergeant  Gardiner,  of  the  Sig- 
nal Corps,  was  an  instrument-maker,  and  while  he  with  other 
aid  rebuilt  the  chronograph,  I  reconstructed  the  electrical  por- 
tion of  it. 

The  pendulum  observations  were  due  to  the  intelligent  and 
liberal  action  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  United  States  Coast 
Survey.  Under  the  instructions  and  supervision  of  Assistant 
Charles  S.  Pierce,  of  that  bureau,  a  beautiful  pendulum  was 
especially  made  for  this  work.  In  default  of  a  break-circuit 
chronometer,  for  use  with  the  chronograph  in  time  observations, 
Professor  Pierce  kindly  loaned  his  own  chronometer,  which  was 
used  in  the  pendulum  work.  As  a  recognition  of  this  action,  I 
felt  it  incumbent  on  me  to  see  that  the  instrument  was  returned, 
and  so,  in  all  the  dark  days  of  our  retreat,  that  chronometer  was 
carefully  looked  after,  and  has  since  been  delivered  to  Profes- 
sor Pierce. 

My  astronomer,  Sergeant  Edward  Israel,  had  received  from 
Professor  Pierce  careful  and  detailed  instructions  concerning 
the  pendulum  work.  Professor  Pierce  had  pointed  out  to  me 
the  importance  not  only  of  uniformity  of  temperature,  but  of 
determining  accurately  the  temperature  of  the  pendulum.  The 


OUR  SCIENTIFIC   OBSERVATIONS.  131 

problem  was  not  an  easy  one,  from  the  stubborn  way  in  which 
heated  air  rises  and  cold  air  falls.  The  necessity  of  piers  with 
great  stability  was  obvious,  but  the  conditions  at  Conger  re- 
quired the  construction  of  such  piers  on  frozen  ground  and  at 
temperatures  below  zero  Fahrenheit. 

Sergeant  Gardiner  and  Private  Connell,  under  my  direc- 
tions, succeeded  in  building  strong,  stable  piers.  Brick  and 
Portland  cement  had  been  purchased  for  the  purpose  at  St. 
John's.  The  site  selected  was  in  a  lean-to  built  on  the  north  side 
of  the  officers'  room.  Holes  three  feet  square  were  dug  to  a  depth 
of  about  twenty-seven  inches,  the  ground  being  found  frozen 
at  a  depth  varying  from  twenty-two  to  twenty-four  inches. 
Over  these  holes  a  tent  was  pitched,  and  alcohol  lamps  lighted 
within  it  to  raise  the  temperature.  On  the  bottom  of  the  holes 
dry,  hot  ashes  were  spread,  and  then  two  courses  of  bricks  were 
laid.  As  the  bricks  had  been  previously  heated  to  a  tempera- 
ture of  150°,  the  cement  formed  before  the  temperature  fell  to 
the  freezing-point.  In  this  manner  the  piers  were  finally  built 
in  a  solid,  substantial  manner.  Around  the  piers  a  house  was 
erected  of  ice-slabs,  which  maintained  an  almost  constant  and 
exceedingly  uniform  temperature.  French  plate-glass  being  set 
in  the  front  of  the  ice-house,  and  in  the  door  leading  into  the 
officers'  room,  the  observer  was  able  to  remain  comfortably  in 
the  latter  room,  and  by  a  set  of  reflectors  throwing  light  on  the 
pendulum  to  read  its  oscillations  through  a  telescope. 

Several  sets  of  maximum  and  minimum  thermometers  were  so 
disposed  as  to  show  the  ranges  of  temperature  at  the  head,  the 
centre,  and  the  bottom  of  the  pendulum,  and  one  thermometer 
was  so  placed  that  it  could  be  read  at  any  time  by  the  telescope 
from  the  officers'  room.  These  arrangements  were  so  successful 
that  the  range  of  temperature  rarely  exceeded  five  degrees  Fah- 
renheit, during  an  entire  set  of  observations.  Forty-eight 


132  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

swings  of  the  pendulum  with  corresponding  time  observations 
were  successfully  made,  and  it  is  probable  that  these  observa- 
tions, under  Professor  Pierce's  skilful  discussion,  will  prove  of 
marked  value  to  geodesy. 

!Near  the  end  of  November,  1881,  the  observers  began 
to  obtain  samples  of  the  air,  according  to  instructions  furnished 
by  Professor  Edward  Moiiey.  The  samples  were  to  have  been 
analyzed  by  that  gentleman  in  connection  with  his  investiga- 
tion as  to  the  variations  of  oxygen  in  the  atmosphere.  Unfort- 
unately for  his  researches,  the  samples  were  necessarily  aban- 
doned, with  other  bulky  and  weighty  collections,  on  the  occasion 
of  our  retreat. 

An  excellent  series  of  observations  as  to  the  velocity  of  sound 
at  low  temperatures  was  obtained,  which  generally  confirm  the 
theoretical  law  as  to  the  effect  of  temperature  on  its  velocity 
in  air,  as  deduced  from  observations  at  higher  temperatures. 
These  experiments  are  dwelt  on  elsewhere  more  in  detail. 

Experiments  were  made  with  a  view  of  comparing  the  actual 
with  the  theoretical  dew-point ;  and  also  many  other  special  and 
comparative  observations  were  made  which  need  not  be  here 
referred  to  at  length. 

The  number  of  observations  made  and  recorded  each  day 
were  as  follows :  Meteorological,  234 ;  tidal,  28  ;  magnetical, 
264 — aggregating  526  daily.  On  term-days  the  number  of 
magnetical  observations  were  increased  to  over  twelve  hundred, 
so  that  the  observers  were  always  busy. 

Sergeant  Israel  had  all  the  astronomical  work,  and  the  obser- 
vations of  magnetic  intensity  to  attend  to,  and  was  also  in  gen- 
eral charge  of  the  magnetic  work.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and 
I  did  duty  as  observers  on  term-days.  Sergeants  Gardiner, 
Jewell,  and  Ralston  were  particularly  charged  with  meteoro- 
logical and  tidal  work,  being  occasionally  assisted  by  Sergeant 


OUR  SCIENTIFIC   OBSERVATIONS.  133 

Israel  and  Private  Henry.  Sergeant  Rice,  the  second  year, 
noted  the  high  and  low  tides  and  sea-temperatures,  being  at 
times  relieved  by  Private  Long.  Private  Connell  likewise 
assisted  at  times  in  making  meteorological  observations,  and 
during  all  pendulum,  time,  and  sound,  experiments  was  in 
charge  of  the  chronograph. 


The  Frog. 
\A  Fhicberrj  in  liobeson  Channel,  May,  1SS2.] 


Fortunately  systematic  preparation  and  wise  prevision  secured 
the  safe  return  to  this  country  of  the  observations  made  at  the 
cost  of  so  much  labor  and  care,  though  the  bulky  original  rec- 
ords were  necessarily  stored  at  Fort  Conger. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HYGIENE    AND    ROUTINE. 

nnilE  question  of  the  health  of  any  Arctic  expedition  cannot 
fail  to  interest  most  deeply  the  commander,  and  requires 
at  all  times  the  utmost  care  and  attention  on  his  part.  As 
touching  the  health,  but  two  complaints  pertain  especially  to 
Arctic  service — scurvy  and  frost-bite  ;  in  both  of  which  "  an 
ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a  pound  of  cure." 

As  regards  the  question  of  scurvy,  it  would  seem  useless  for  a 
layman  to  dwell  on  a  subject  concerning  which  the  doctors  so 
decidedly  disagree.  The  ground  taken  by  the  faculty  in  gen- 
eral, that  it  is  owing  to  mal-nutrition,  is  probably  correct,  but 
when  they  go  farther,  and  attribute  it  to  "a  deficient  sup- 
ply of  fresh  vegetable  food,"  I  think  this  opinion  should  be 
received  with  caution,  especially  as  the  exact  substances  de- 
ficient are  undetermined,  and  no  positive  preventive  against 
the  disease  has  been  offered  by  any  expert.  As  against  the 
fresh  vegetable  theory  may  be  advanced  the  Danish  Eskimo, 
ten  thousand  in  number,  who  eat  no  pound  of  vegetable  and 
not  a  dozen  pounds  of  bread  annually.  They  are  substantially 
exempt  from  the  disease,  as  are  their  brethren  of  Cape  York, 
and  the  thousands  who  occupy  the  shores  of  the  polar  basin 
from  Cumberland  Gulf  to  Point  Barrow  and  the  Alaskan 
Archipelago.  Bread,  vegetables,  and  scurvy  are  equally  want- 
ing among  them.  The  exemption  of  the  Hudson  Bay  and  the 
Xorth  American  Indian  tribes,  similarly  non-bread  and  non- 


HYGIENE  AND   ROUTINE.  135 

vegetable  eaters,  is  equally  marked.  Ignorant  of  the  subject  of 
medicines  and  diseases,  it  seems  rash  for  me  to  advance  a  theory, 
or  even  a  suggestion.  But  is  not  the  disease  owing  to  previous 
as  well  as  continued  mal-nutrition,  in  connection  with  which  the 
abnormal  conditions,  checked  in  the  patients  by  certain  sub- 
stances of  their  normal  diet,  develop  into  scurvy  when  the  de- 
teriorated physical  condition  is  aggravated  by  adopting  a  diet 
affording  less  than  usual  nutrition  ?  Is  not  the  acknowledged 
fact,  that  men  who  have  been  immoderately  addicted  to  the 
use  of  alcohol  first  succumb,  a  significant  one  ?  Its  prevalence 
among  men  from  nations  which  are  accustomed  to  daily  and 
systematic  use  of  alcoholic  drinks  may  be  only  a  coincidence. 
In  any  event,  an  observer  cannot  but  be  struck  by  the  freedom 
of  American  expeditions  from  this  disease — De  Long's,  Hall's, 
Hayes',  De  Haven's  (I  believe),  and  my  own.  Despite  the 
scorbutic  symptoms  in  Kane's  ill-fed  party,  no  man  died  of  it. 

Nordenskiold,  speaking  of  Maosoe  (near  North  Cape,  in  about 
71°  IS".)  as  having  a  raw,  moist  air,  says :  "  Scurvy,  especially  in 
humid  winters,  attacks  the  population,  educated  and  uneducated, 
rich  and  poor,  old  and  young."  The  remedy  mentioned  by 
Nordenskiold  caused  me  to  add  cloudberries  (Rubus  chamcemo- 
rus,  L.)  to  my  dietary,  but  they  were  not  obtained  in  time. 
The  freedom  of  Nordenskiold's  crew  from  sickness  on  the 
Yega  expedition,  though  he  wintered  on  the  Arctic  Circle,  and 
I  a  thousand  miles  north  of  it,  had  an  influence  on  my  dietary ; 
the  exemption  in  his  voyage  seeming  to  me  in  a  measure  due 
to  variety,  quantity,  and  quality  of  food. 

My  dietary  list  was  shaped  on  the  assumption  that  scurvy 
is  a  disease  resulting  from  mal-nutrition,  which  would  be 
fostered  by  dampness,  uncleanliness,  mental  ennui,  too  strict 
discipline,  excessive  exercise  or  labor,  and  by  regular  and  sys- 
tematic use  of  alcoholic  beverages.  I  by  no  means  assume  that 


136  THREE  TEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

our  exemption  from  this  disease  resulted  from  my  dietary  list 
and  hygienic  rules,  but  let  who  will  pass  on  the  vexed  question. 
I  believe,  however,  that  our  large  supply  of  fresh  meat  played 
a  most  important  role  in  our  freedom  from  scurvy. 

From  the  commencement  I  considered  it  of  primary  impor- 
tance, that  the  food-supply  should  be  of  excellent  quality,  liberal 
amount,  and  of  a  diversified  character.  The  British  Arctic  ex- 
pedition of  1S75-1876  were  fortunate  in  having  such  men  as 
Admirals  Tlichards,  Sir  L.  McClintock,  and  Sherard  Osborn 
as  an  Advisory  Committee,  to  arrange  the  details  as  to  stores 
and  provisions  to  be  required,  and  as  to  the  sanitary  arrange- 
ments to  be  followed.  A  large  and  intelligent  medical  staff  was 
also  at  hand  to  suggest  and  to  remedy  any  oversights  which 
might  occur  in  the  requisitions. 

The  experiences  of  that  expedition  had  shown,  however,  that 
in  regard  to  this  great  Arctic  disease  the  surgeons  had  been  un- 
able to  recommend  such  diet  as  would  infallibly  guard  against 
its  occurrence.  Over  forty-eight  per  cent,  of  the  entire  com- 
plement of  the  British  expedition  suffered  from  scurvy,  and, 
excluding  those  who  did  no  field  service,  the  percentage  probably 
reached  as  high  as  seventy. 

My  surgeon  was  in  Greenland  at  the  time  of  outfitting,  and  it 
fell  to  me  in  three  days'  time  to  complete  my  list  of  stores, 
which  lack  of  funds  prevented  my  properly  supplementing 
later.  I  had,  indeed,  given  much  attention  to  the  question  of 
equipment  and  food-supply,  but  my  knowledge  was  entirely 
theoretical.  It  is  proper  that  I  should  acknowledge  my  indebt- 
edness to  that  most  celebrated  Arctic  explorer,  Professor  A.  E. 
Xordenskiold,  for  the  benefits  derived  from  his  varied  experi- 
ence as  given  to  the  world.  In  selecting  articles  of  food  I 
profited  largely  from  the  judicious  advice  and  opinions  of  his 
surgeons  and  himself.  Advantage  was  also  taken  of  recom- 


HYGIENE  AND   EOUTINE. 


137 


mendations  made  by  Sir  George  Nares  in  his  published  com- 
ments on  the  articles  provided  for  his  expedition.  It  is  natural 
that  one  should  have  ideas  and  theories  peculiarly  their  own, 
and  such  gave  direction  to  certain  features  of  my  supply  table. 
Condensed  milk,  butter,  and  oatmeal  were  taken  in  quantities 
from  a  ton  to  a  ton  and  a  half  each,  so  that  the  habit  of  daily 
use  of  these  articles  in  middle  latitudes  should  not  be  discon- 
tinued in  the  high  north.  Cheese,  maccaroni,  condensed  eggs 
— all  considered  important — were  in  liberal  quantities.  The 
supply  of  fruits,  canned  in  as  nearly  a  natural  state  as  possible, 
was  very  large,  consisting  of  apples,  peaches,  pears,  grapes, 
quinces,  etc.,  supplemented  by  rhubarb,  gooseberries,  etc.  Of 
vegetables  there  were  canned  onions,  potatoes,  tomatoes,  beets, 
carrots,  squash,  okra,  asparagus,  corn,  beans,  peas,  etc.,  of  which 
I  considered  the  first  three  the  most  important.  In  dried  fruits 
were  apples,  peaches  (unpeeled),  dates,  figs,  prunes,  raisins,  etc. 
Preserves  were  in  quantities,  as  also  pickles,  condiments,  etc. 
The  amount  of  food  per  man  each  day  actually  eaten  in  our 
two  years  at  Fort  Conger  was  as  follows  : 


Ounces. 

Fresh  musk-meat 16.0 

Fresh  birds  and  hare 0.8 

Canned  meats,  soups,  etc 1.6 

Canned  fish 0.5 

Pemmican 0.4 

Pork,  bacon,  and  salt  beef  ...  2.6 

Butter 2.3 

Lard 0.6 

Ham 06 

Milk  1.6 

Condensed  eggs 0.4 

Cheese..  0.4 


Total— meat,  etc 27.8 

Canned  vegetables 10.0 

Sugar  (white) 3.5 

Syrup 1.8 

Total — saccharine..  5.3 


Ounces. 

Flour 5.5 

Oatmeal  and  cornmeal 2.3 

Hard  bread 3.2 

Maccaroni 0.4 

Farina,  corn-starch,  etc 0.3 

Rice  and  hominy 1.5 

Beans  and  pease 0.4 

Total — farinaceous..          .   13.6 


Canned  apples 1.2 

Other  canned  fruits 1.5 

Cranberry  sauce  and  rhubarb .  2.0 

Total— fresh  fruits  ..          ,  4.7 


Dried  fruits 0.8 

Preserves  (including  fruit-but- 
ters)   1.0 

Pickles 1.1 


138  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

This  aggregrate  of  64.3  ounces  would  doubtless  be  increased  by 
coffee,  chocolate,  tea,  spices,  condiments,  etc.,  to  nearly  70  ounces. 
This  amount  may  reasonably  be  assumed  as  the  quantity  of 
food  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  a  man's  health  in  a  lati- 
tude such  as  Conger,  where  the  annual  mean  temperature  is  —4° 
F.  (—20°  C.).  The  above  food  was  eaten,  not  wasted.  The 
garbage  from  the  cook-house  was  but  trifling,  this  resulting  from 
the  plan  followed — the  men  receiving  a  certain  amount  per  day, 
from  which  they  paid  for  their  food.  The  quantity  and  quality 
of  food  depending  solely  on  my  judgment,  which  guarded  on  one 
side  against  the  temptation  to  save,  as  the  other  plan  did  against 
waste.  My  avoidance  of  larger  quantities  of  canned  meats  re- 
sulted from  my  opinion  that  their  nutritive  qualities  are  materi- 
ally impaired  by  their  tastelessness,  and  I  quite  concur  with  the 
opinion  put  forward  by  Dr.  Envall,  of  Nordenskiold's  expedi- 
tion, 1872-73,  who,  speaking  of  the  tasteless  condition  of  cer- 
tain of  their  meat  supplies,  says  :  "  One  gets  disgusted  with  it, 
and  this  effect  on  the  taste  probably  has  an  influence  on  the 
nutrition,  and  thereby  indirectly  on  the  nutritive  value  of  the 
food." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  above  list  of  supplies  varies 
somewhat  from  that  which  I  would  now  make.  This  result 
is  in  accordance  with  the  invariable  experience  of  Arctic  com- 
manders. Even  in  as  carefully  a  considered  undertaking  as 
the  British  Arctic  expedition  of  1875,  common  salt,  by  an  over- 
sight, was  omitted  in  the  Alert's  supply.  In  a  list  of  twenty 
articles  of  food,  Sir  George  Nares  comments  on  fully  one- 
quarter  as  being,  in  his  opinion,  insufficient  as  an  allowance  for 
Arctic  service.  There  have  been  few  expeditions  which  have 
not  found  similar  deficiencies  in  quantity,  variety,  and  quality 
of  their  provisions. 

The  most  material  changes  toward  an  improvement  of  my 


HYGIENE  AND   ROUTINE.  139 


own  list  would  consist  in  the  increase  of  vegetables  to 
ounces,  of  flour  to  9  ounces,  and  a  more  diversified  selection  of 
canned  meats.  Tomatoes  were  found  to  be  our  best  vegetable, 
our  experience  being  that  the  last  cans  were  as  good  as  the  first, 
and  no  large  eater  of  them  was  otherwise  than  in  health.  Apples 
and  peaches  were  our  best  fruits.  Of  beverages,  coffee,  tea,  and 
chocolate  were  in  ample  quantity.  Enough  good  cider  (not  yet 
hard)  was  taken  to  insure  a  half  pint  once  a  week  for  the  first 
year.  Apart  from  the  regular  medical  supplies  of  brandy  and 
whiskey,  I  took  one  hundred  gallons  of  New  England  rum, 
which  was  a  modest  allowance  of  one  and  a  half  gills  weekly. 
The  amount,  owing  to  a  number  being  non-  drinking  men,  was 
about  two  gills  weekly  for  each  man.  One  gill  was  issued  as  a 
rule  each  Sunday,  and  the  other  on  birthdays  and  festivals.  The 
influence  of  the  liquor  was  undoubtedly  beneficial,  as  it  in- 
variably tended  to  enliven  the  spirits  and  increase  the  cheerful- 
ness of  the  men.  In  addition  to  an  equal  or  slightly  larger 
amount,  I  would  recommend  to  future  expeditions  that  it  be 
supplemented  by  half  a  pint  of  light  wine  weekly.  In  no  in- 
stance was  rum  served  regularly  as  a  ration,  either  in  quarters 
or  on  sledge  journeys.  Dr.  En  vail  expresses  my  opinion,  when 
he  says  :  "I  believe  spirituous  liquors  to  be  of  great  use  in 
small  and  moderate  quantities,  but  exceedingly  mischievous  and 
pernicious  in  case  of  the  least  excess."  I  took  personally  twenty- 
five  gallons  of  wine,  but  the  officers,  deciding  at  St.  John  not  to 
follow  my  example,  carried  no  supply  of  liquor,  a  course  they 
especially  regretted  afterward. 

Except  for  a  few  weeks,  and  during  my  absence  in  the  field, 
I  made  the  dietary  my  personal  care.  No  one  knew  a  day  be- 
forehand (except  in  special  cases)  what  the  dinner  would  be. 
Every  attempt  was  made  to  prevent  the  men  from  tiring  of  any 
food,  and  a  general  liking  for  any  article  caused  it  to  be  served 


140  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

sparingly.  The  cooks,  as  a  rule,  were  changed  monthly,  which 
gave  variety  to  the  style  of  cooking,  and  rarely  resulted  in  cause 
for  complaint.  Soup  was  served  daily,  and  on  alternate  week- 
days the  dessert  was  a  made  one  or  consisted  of  canned  fruits, 
while  on  Sunday  it  included  both  classes.  Oatmeal  or  cracked 
wheat  was  served  every  morning,  in  addition  to  meat  of  some 
kind.  Fresh  baked  bread  under  Long's  skilful  manufacture 
was  always  light  and  sweet,  and  was  served  for  one  meal  daily, 
except  during  three  days  in  the  week  of  the  last  year,  when 
it  was  necessarily  replaced  by  fresh  corn-bread.  Both  coffee 
and  tea  were  regularly  served,  and  chocolate  once  or  twice  a 
week. 

In  addition  to  breakfast  at  7.30  A.M.  and  dinner  at  4  P.M.,  two 
lunches  were  provided,  which  consisted  of  hard  bread,  butter, 
tea,  and  coffee  in  unlimited  quantities. 

The  following  bills-of-fare  for  four  successive  days  are  taken 
at  random  from  my  journal,  and  give  an  idea  of  our  table.  To 
avoid  repetition,  tea,  coffee,  butter,  milk,  etc.,  are  omitted,  as 
they  were  always  served : 

SUNDAY. 

Breakfast. — Musk-beef  hash,  oat-meal,  fresh  bread,  chocolate. 
Dinner. — Pea-soup,  roast  musk-beef,  baked  maccaroni  with 
cheese,  rice  pudding,  fresh  peaches. 

MONDAY. 

Breakfast. — Corned-beef,  oat-meal,  fresh  bread. 
Dinner. — Vegetable  soup,  baked  pork  and  beans,  corn-bread, 
stewed  peaches. 

TUESDAY. 

Breakfast.—  Musk-beef  hash,  oat-meal,  fresh  bread. 
Dinner.— Bean  soup,  roast  musk-beef,  tomatoes,  fresh  ap 
pies. 


HYGIENE  AND   ROUTINE.  141 

WEDNESDAY. 

Breakfast. — Musk-beef  hash,  baked  pork  and  beans,  fresli 
bread. 

Dinner. — Vegetable  soup,  boiled  codfish,  hominy,  and  cake. 

The  table  of  the  officers  was  supplied  from  the  same  dishes 
as  that  of  the  men,  and  the  only  difference  consisted  in  the  oc- 
casional addition  of  peaches,  pineapples,  marmalade,  etc.,  or  a 
can  of  shrimps,  crabs,  or  some  other  delicacy.  I  had  selected 
a  quantity  of  these  stores  for  the  use  of  the  officers,  but  later 
decided  it  was  best  to  throw  them  into  the  general  mess.  There 
was  no  article  which  was  not  shared  to  a  greater  or  less  extent 
among  the  entire  expedition.  This  course,  while  not  perhaps 
practicable  in  larger  expeditions,  should  be  followed  as  far  as 
is  possible  in  all.  The  officers'  meals  were  served  by  the  cook, 
while  the  second  cook,  who  was  changed  each  week,  waited  on 
the  table  of  the  men. 

Every  attempt  was  made  to  insure  careful  serving  of  food, 
and  to  this  end  regular  crockery  (with  soup-tureens,  soup- 
plates,  etc.,  complete),  silver-plated  spoons  and  forks,  and  sev- 
eral table-cloths  were  purchased  for  the  men's  use.  The  table- 
linen,  changed  twice  a  week,  was  kept  neat  and  clean,  and  the 
table  always  presented  a  tidy,  creditable  appearance.  The 
room-orderly,  detailed  daily,  assisted  the  undercook  in  setting 
the  table  and  in  removing  and  washing  the  dishes.  The  mid- 
day and  evening  lunches  were  not  served,  but  simply  set  out  on 
a  side-table,  where  each  man  took  what  he  pleased  during  a  half 
hour's  time.  The  night  observer  was  allowed  a  midnight  lunch. 

The  party  was  particularly  free  from  prejudices  as  to  the 
various  articles  which  made  up  our  diet,  antipathy  to  tea  and 
chocolate  being  the  most  marked.  The  former  was  fortunately, 
on  the  part  of  men  who  did  little  field  service,  a  place  where 


142  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

the  use  of  this  indispensable  and  favorite  Arctic  beverage  was 
obligatory. 

The  experiences  of  all  Arctic  expeditions  point  to  a  well- 
planned  routine  and  proper  discipline  as  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance in  the  maintenance  of  health.  At  first  I  was  not  disposed 
to  insist  on  fixed  hours  for  retiring,  and  none  were  ever  obliga- 
tory on  the  officers.  The  hopes  that  the  novelty  of  continual 
day  would  wear  off,  and  regular  hours  follow,  proved  fruitless, 
and  an  order  was  issued  requiring  the  men  to  retire  at  11  P.M., 
Washington  mean  time,  which  corresponded  to  11.49  P.M.  local 
time.  Breakfast  was  at  7  or  7.30  A.M.,  at  which  hour  all  were 
required  to  be  present,  except  observers  who  had  night  duty. 

It  was  strange  that  the  same  disinclination  to  retire  or  to  rise 
was  noticeable  during  the  long  Arctic  night,  as  is  so  common  in 
parts  of  the  world  where  day  and  night  are  more  equally  divided. 
During  the  second  winter  the  inclination  to  sleep  was  so  marked 
that  an  order  was  issued  forbidding  the  general  party  from  oc- 
cupying their  beds  between  8  A.M.  and  3  P.M.,  except  on  Sundays. 
For  ten  consecutive  days  during  that  winter  my  officers,  by  ob- 
servation, slept  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  hours  daily,  and  it  was 
only  by  effort  that  I  reduced  my  own  sleeping-hours  to  nine 
daily. 

I  think  it  admits  of  no  doubt,  that  cleanliness  and  the  use  of  the 
bath  tend  greatly  to  promote  and  conserve  healthy  physical  con- 
ditions. The  pores  of  the  skin,  freed  from  perspiration  and  for- 
eign substance,  and  stimulated  to  activity  by  the  bath,  must  bet- 
ter perform  their  important  functions.  Most  expeditions,  housed 
in  vessels,  have  been  obliged,  owing  to  the  trouble  from  moisture 
engendered  by  the  bath,  to  discontinue  the  practice  entirely  or 
in  part.  With  us  a  well-warmed  bath-room,  a  large,  convenient 
tub,  with  a  plentiful  supply  of  water  at  any  desired  tempera- 
ture, made  the  bath  a  matter  of  pleasure  and  luxury  rather 


HYGIENE   AND   ROUTINE.  143 

than  duty  and  penance.  The  obligatory  rule  of  a  bath  weekly 
needed  no  enforcement,  for  many  bathed  oftener,  and  one  of 
the  officers  for  many  long  months  never  failed  to  bathe  daily. 

Notwithstanding  the  large  amount  of  moisture  from  the  bath- 
room and  from  the  cook-house,  it  passed  away  readily  and  rapidly 
without  leaving  traces  in  thick  layers  of  hoar-frost  on  walls  or 
floor.  The  attic-room,  which  naturally  received  the  rising  vapor, 
retained  such  a  small  proportion,  that,  when  the  heat  of  advanc- 
ing summer  melted  the  frost  on  the  inner  side  of  the  roof,  we 
had  not  more  than  two  or  three  barrels  of  it  to  remove.  Frost 
never  formed  except  on  windows,  and  on  the  washboard  to  a 
height  of  a  foot  or  two  from  the  floor.  The  beds  and  blankets 
were  turned  down  toward  the  centre  of  the  room  one  day  each 
week,  and  oftener  when  apparently  necessary.  The  only  cases 
of  frost  at  the  head  of  the  bed  and  frozen  bedclothing  were  in 
connection  with  the  bed  of  observers,  which  was  almost  con- 
stantly in  use,  and  in  my  own  bunk,  which  was  in  an  exposed 
corner.  Both  cases  received  prompt  attention,  and  no  recur- 
rence was  noted. 

The  quarters  were  swept  out  daily,  and  every  Saturday  were 
thoroughly  overhauled  for  the  coming  Sunday  inspection,  the 
only  one  of  the  week.  The  failure  to  provide  more  than  half 
a  dozen  brooms  left  us  soon  without  that  simple  but  valuable  ar- 
ticle, which  was  ingeniously  replaced  by  brushes  in  which  heavy 
buffalo-skin  did  good  service. 

Exercise  was  encouraged  among  the  men,  but  was  very  rarely 
enforced.  My  personal  distaste  to  exercise  for  its  own  sake 
was  so  marked,  that  I  hesitated  to  insist  on  it  for  others. 
Sergeant  Brainard,  who  served  as  the  orderly  sergeant  of  the 
expedition,  was  instructed  by  me  to  use  his  ingenuity  in  finding 
sufficient  work  of  seeming  value  to  keep  certain  of  the  men 
busy  in  the  air  an  hour  daily.  He  was  usually  successful  with 


144  THREE   TEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

these,  and  others  of  their  own  inclination  kept  out  of  doors  from 
one  to  three  hours.  The  observers  in  their  daily  round  had 
enough,  if  not  too  much  exercise  at  times.  The  rule  was  eight 
hours  on  duty  and  sixteen  off,  which  applied  to  the  three  meteor- 
ological observers,  who  were  relieved  by  my  astronomer  of  one 
tour  Sunday,  which  changed  their  hours  weekly  besides  giving 
them  a  complete  day's  rest. 

Long-continued  exercise  in  the  open  air  while  beneficial,  is  not 
absolutely  essential  for  all.  During  the  first  winter,  for  a  period 
of  three  months  successively,  my  out-of-door  exercise  averaged 
but  fifteen  minutes  daily,  during  which  it  was  generally  of  a 
very  active  character,  as  running  at  a  slow  gait.  I  carefully  ob- 
served my  condition,  but  could  see  no  resulting  injury,  being 
entirely  free  from  sickness.  I  considered  it  an  experiment,  and 
later  took  much  more  exercise,  but  in  winter  never  exceeded  an 
hour,  unless  I  had  wwk  to  do.  During  this  time  I  worked  stead- 
ily six  hours  daily  on  records,  observations,  or  in  research. 

The  placing  of  instruments  on  Mount  Campbell  and  Cairn  Hill 
was  done  with  the  ulterior  motive  of  sending  men  to  read  them 
at  regular  intervals  during  the  winter.  In  this  manner  long 
walks  for  some  definite  object  were  taken  by  many  of  these 
men,  who,  fond  of  hunting  or  of  work,  were  disinclined  to  stray 
and  stumble  around  to  no  purpose  over  the  floe.  The  obtaining 
of  ice  for  drinking  and  other  purposes  also  insured  a  certain 
amount  of  daily  work,  particularly  during  the  time  the  moon 
was  above  the  horizon,  when  a  store  of  ice  was  accumulated  for 
the  dark  days  in  the  moonless  period. 

Some  surprise  has  been  manifested  that  this  water  did  not 
have  a  deleterious  effect  on  our  health,  but  none  was  ever 
noticed.  For  over  eighteen  of  the  twenty-four  months  at  Fort 
Conger,  the  only  water  drank  was  obtained  from  the  melting  of 
the  palseocrystic  ice  in  the  harbor.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 


HYGIENE   AND    ROUTINE.  145 

ice  contained  a  considerable  quantity  of  saline  matter,  caused,  in 
my  opinion,  by  infiltration  and  efflorescence.  The  potable  ice 
was  of  such  color  that  a  practiced  eye  at  once  selected  it.  The 
tinge  of  bluish-white  was  a  shade  quite  apart  f  rom  that  of  the 
salt-water  ice,  which  had  a  somewhat  deeper  shade  that  bordered 
on  the  greens  rather  than  blues.*  The  ice  was  melted  in  a  large 
tank  holding  a  hundred  gallons  or  more,  which  was  provided 
with  pipes  running  through  the  upper  portion  of  our  cooking- 
range.  The  resulting  water  was  used  for  cooking,  bathing,  or 
drinking,  though  melting  ice  in  a  pail  in  quarters  was  in  general 
use  for  the  latter  purpose.  The  water,  however,  contained  too 
much  salt  to  permit  of  its  use  for  photographic  purposes. 

Most  of  our  winter  amusements  were  necessarily  of  a  mental 
character,  owing  to  lack  of  space  for  much  physical  exercise. 
The  library  was  an  excellent  one,  comprising  about  seventy- 
five  volumes  of  Arctic  works,  many  encyclopaedias,  scientific 
works,  etc.,  for  the  studious.  There  were  probably  a  thousand 
novels,  magazines,  and  books  of  a  light  character. 

Cards,  chess-boards,  backgammon,  parchesi,  and  other  games 
were  much  in  use,  but  no  gambling,  save  for  tobacco,  was  al- 
lowed. One  variety  entertainment  was  given,  and  a  semi-monthly 
newspaper  lived  for  two  months  only.  Hunting  was  assiduously 
followed  as  long  as  light  lasted,  and  skating  was  practised  until 
the  roughness  of  the  ice  rendered  it  difficult. 

One  of  the  party  had  a  violin ;  and  an  orguinette,  with  about 
fifty  yards  of  music,  afforded  much  amusement,  being  par- 
ticularly fascinating  to  our  Eskimo,  who  never  wearied  grinding 
out  one  tune  after  another. 

When  these  amusements  seemed  stale,  the   monotony  was 


*  In  travelling,  opaque,  granulated  ice,  resembling  closely  pressed  snow, 
could  usually  be  found  to  a  depth  of  five  or  six  inches  on  palseocrystic  floes. 
10 


146  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

broken  by  a  series  of  lectures  commenced  and  generally  main- 
tained by  me.  I  lectured  some  six  times  the  first  winter,  on 
Sound,  Storms,  Magnetism,  Poles  (geographical  and  others), 
Arctic  Expeditions,  and  War  Reminiscences,  which  were  sup- 
plemented by  readings.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  delivered  two 
lectures  on  Arctic  Sledging,  and  Dr.  Pavy  one  on  Africa.  The 
second  winter  I  was  assisted  in  this  work  by  Dr.  Pavy,  who 
lectured  on  Napoleon,  and  by  Sergeant  Israel,  who  gave  a  series 
of  excellent  and  instructive  lectures  on  Astronomy. 

In  addition  to  this  variety  and  abundance  of  food,  freedom 
from  moisture,  personal  cleanliness,  moderate  exercise,  regularity 
of  hours  and  meals,  and  attempts  to  promote  cheerful  amuse- 
ments, the  ordinary  medical  precautions  were  followed.  The 
surgeon  made  regular  examinations  of  the  party  each  Sunday, 
and  reported  in  writing  each  month.  He  was  particularly  di- 
rected to  recommend  such  special  and  supplementary  diet  as  he 
might  deem  needful,  and  to  report  promptly  any  premonitory 
signs  of  scurvy.  The  regulation  allowance  of  lime-juice,  one 
ounce  daily,  was  invariably  issued,  except  when  replaced  by  cider 
or  its  discontinuance  recommended  by  the  surgeon  on  account 
of  impaired  digestion  or  for  other  reasons. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SLEDGING   IN   THE   AKCTIC   TWILIGHT. 

FT1IIE  disappearance  of  the  sun  by  no  means  put  an  end  to 
our  sledging  work.  After  that  time  various  parties  were 
employed  in  mining  coal  in  Water-course  Ravine,  and  in  haul- 
ing a  portion  of  it  to  Depot  "  A,"  at  Cape  Murchison,  where 
some  three  thousand  pounds  were  accumulated  to  serve  as  fuel 
for  sledge  parties  who  might  pass  the  night  at  that  depot. 
A  small  quantity  was  also  hauled  to  the  home  station. 

After  consultation  with  my  officers,  I  decided  that  the  inaction 
and  monotony  of  our  long  winter  should  be  postponed  as  far  as 
possible  by  the  continuance  of  sledging  work  after  the  sun  had 
left  us  and  the  Arctic  winter  commenced.  The  dangers  and 
privations  of  this  work  were  undoubtedly  great,  and  such  action 
was  contrary  to  precedent.  In  these  matters  elaborate  and  prac- 
tical suggestions  from  our  predecessors  are  not  to  be  lightly  dis- 
dained or  neglected,  but  it  is  equally  certain  that  individuals 
suited  by  temperament  and  character  for  Arctic  work,  after  a 
certain  amount  of  experience,  must  not  follow  too  blindly  prec- 
edent and  theory.  They  should  be  able  to  gauge  correctly  the 
critical  points  of  the  situation,  and  the  limit  of  endurance  to 
which  their  men  can  safely  be  subjected.  Such  sound  judg- 
ment and  daring  energy  are  essential  before  the  best  and  most 
successful  work  can  be  done. 

On  October  23d,  seven  days  after  the  departure  of  the  sun, 
Lieutenant  Lockwood,  with  Brainard,  Connell,  and  Christiansen, 


148  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

with  a  well-laden  dog-sledge,  left  for  Depot  "  B."  Their  mission 
was  to  construct  a  large,  commodious  snow-house,  which  was  to 
be  made  thoroughly  comfortable,  and  of  sufficient  capacity  for 
any  sledge-party  which  would  visit  it.  It  is  certain  that  some 
of  the  articles  selected  for  house-furnishing  were  striking,  if  not 
unique.  My  journal  gravely  sets  forth  that,  in  order  to  prop- 
erly heat  the  snow-house.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  to  take  a 
few  joints  of  stove-pipe,  a  small  coal  stove,  and '  four  hundred 
pounds  of  the  best  fuel  which  the  country  afforded — lignite  coal 
from  Watercourse  Mine.  It  was  surely  not  according  to  prec- 
edent, and  seemed  anomalous,  if  not  absurd.  But  why  not  coal 
as  well  as  oil,  and  a  stove  as  well  as  a  lamp,  and  so  the  coal 
went.  It  performed  admirably  then  as  ever  afterward,  and  if 
at  times  the  red-hot  stove  enlarged  unduly  the  roof -flue,  it  was 
none  the  less  a  cheery,  delightful  sight  and  comfort  to  the  storm 
stayed  traveller,  and  in  no  wise  impaired  the  strength  and  stabil- 
ity of  the  structure. 

While  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  party  were  building  the 
snow-house,  Sergeant  Gardiner  and  Private  Ellis,  with  Jens, 
added  a  half-ton  of  coal,  mined  in  Watercourse  Ravine,  to  the 
supply  at  Depot  "A"  (Cape  Murchison). 

The  changing  conditions  of  the  ice  in  Robeson  Channel  were 
strongly  evidenced  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  observations  dur- 
ing this  journey,  as  compared  with  previous  experiences  that 
autumn.  From  the  summit  of  Mount  Beaufort,  on  October 
26th,  Robeson  Channel  was  seen  by  him  to  be  open  in  all  di- 
rections ;  the  only  ice  to  be  seen  in  any  quarter  was  small  and 
unimportant.  No  floebergs  could  be  discerned,  save  a  few 
grounded  along  the  shore.  It  was  his  opinion,  that  at  that  time 
an  Arctic  vessel  could  have  steamed,  with  but  little  if  any 
trouble,  direct  from  Cape  Lieber  to  at  least  Repulse  Harbor. 
Previously  during  September  and  October  the  channel  had  been 


SLEDGING   IN   THE   ARCTIC   TWILIGHT.  149 

densely  packed  with  ice.     This  journey  having  resulted  favor- 
ably, I  later  decided  on  more  important  ones. 

One  great  drawback  in  the  autumn  work  had  been  our  in- 
ability to  cross  Robeson  Channel,  in  order  to  transport  to  the 
eastern  shore  caches  of  provisions  for  the  use  of  the  party 
which  1  intended  to  put  in  the  field  the  next  spring  in  order  to 
determine  the  configuration  of  the  most  northern  point  of 
Greenland.  It  was  also  very  desirable  that  we  should  ascertain 
the  quantity  and  condition  of  the  stores  at  Thank  God  Harbor, 
so  as  to  know  what  articles  and  amounts  could  be  drawn  from 
that  point  for  field  use,  or  could  be  depended  on  in  case  a  party 
was  detained  on  that  coast.  The  young  ice  in  September  had 
prevented  any  attempt  to  cross  Hall  Basin  by  boat,  and  although 
the  weather  had  been  unprecedentedly  cold  in  October,  yet  the 
straits  were  in  no  ways  fit  at  any  time  for  an  attempt  at  cross- 
ing by  sledge.  This  was  shown  conclusively  by  Lieutenant 
Lockwood's  observations  on  October  26th.  In  the  days  follow- 
ing his  return  the  straits  jammed  with  heavy  ice,  and  the  temper- 
ature remaining  steady  at  about  —7°  F.  (—21.7°  C.),  it  seemed 
possible  to  Lieutenant  Lockwood  that  a  crossing  to  Greenland 
could  be  made  near  Cape  Beechy,  which,  being  at  the  narrowest 
part  of  Robeson  Channel,  is  the  point  where  the  heavy  floes  drift- 
ing from  the  Polar  Sea  most  readily  jam,  and,  cemented  by  rap- 
idly forming  ice,  afford  a  safe  passage  to  the  Greenland  coast. 
I  was  thoroughly  sensible  of  the  extremely  hazardous  nature  of 
such  an  attempt,  but  I  consented  to  the  experiment,  having  full 
confidence  in  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  prudence,  and  feeling  thor- 
oughly assured  that  his  good  judgment  would  cause  him  to 
abandon  the  effort,  as  specified  by  his  written  instructions, 
at  such  time  as  it  might  seem  dangerous  to  proceed  farther. 
Lieutenant  Lockwood  left  November  2d,  the  temperature  being 
—  6.5°  F.  (—  21.4:°  C.),  with  calm,  clear  weather.  He  was  ac- 


150  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

companied  by  Brainard,  Lynn,  Biederbick,  Saler,  Connell,  Ellis, 
and  Frederick,  all  of  whom  had  specially  volunteered  for  the 
attempt.  Fifteen  days'  rations,  with  complete  camping-gear, 
were  hauled  on  the  eight-man  English  sledge. 

This  party  was  speedily  followed  by  a  second,  which,  com- 
posed of  Dr.  Pavy,  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  and  Sergeant  Rice, 
with  both  dog-sledges  and  Jens,  left  on  Kovember  4th  to  add 
stores  to  the  depot  in  Wrangel  Bay.  The  trip  from  Mount 
Beaufort  to  the  south  of  Cape  Beechy  to  Wrangel  Bay  was 
made  inland,  Dr.  Pavy  thinking  that  such  route  would  facilitate 
his  movements.  The  cliffs  on  the  north  side  of  Wrangel  Bay 
were  still  washed  by  the  open  sea,  showing  that  the  storms  of 
the  previous  month  had  broken  up  the  sea-floe  in  many  places. 
The  quantity  of  stores  which  Dr.  Pavy  was  able  to  add  to  the 
depot  in  Wrangel  Bay  was  so  small  as  to  scarcely  repay  the 
hardships  endured  by  his  party,  and  the  results  of  the  trip 
emphasized  the  difficulty  and  fruitlessness  of  autumn  sledging 
overland.  Dr.  Pavy's  party  reached  the  station  on  November 
8th,  having  had  no  accident,  or  indeed  sufferings,  apart  from 
the  great  hardships  which  are  incidental  to  all  winter  sledging 
in  such  high  latitudes. 

The  hardiness  of  the  Eskimo  dog  was  illustrated  by  an  in- 
cident during  this  trip.  One  of  the  favorites,  Gypsy,  was  in  no 
fit  condition  to  travel,  but  insisted  on  following  the  sledge,  and 
the  second  day  out  gave  birth  to  four  puppies,  which,  left  in 
a  snow-bank  near  Cape  Beechy  until  the  return  of  the  party, 
were  brought  safely  to  Conger. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood's  party  returned  on  the  same  day  as 
Dr.  Pavy,  having  been  unsuccessful  in  their  efforts  to  cross 
Robeson  Channel,  owing  to  the  open  condition  of  the  straits. 
Judging  on  his  arrival  at  Cape  Beechy  that  the  crossing  by  the 
sledge  alone  would  be  impracticable,  Lieutenant  Lockwood  de- 


SLEDGING   IN   THE    ARCTIC   TWILIGHT.  151 

cided  to  take  with  him  the  whale-boat,  but  was  compelled  to 
abandon  that  project  as  impracticable,  as  the  boat  was  twenty- 
eight  feet  long  and  the  sledge  but  eleven.  In  consequence  he 
sent  to  St.  Patrick  Bay  and  brought  up  by  sledge  the  small,  cedar 
boat  Discovery,  and  on  ^November  5th  made  a  second  attempt. 

The  sky  at  that  time  was  overcast,  and  the  outlines  of  objects 
indistinct,  in  consequence  of  which  the  party  experienced  many 
falls  in  travelling  through  the  snow  and  over  the  ice-floes. 
The  party  had  proceeded  but  two  or  three  miles  into  the 
straits,  when  they  "  heard  very  distinctly  the  groaning  of  the 
moving  ice,  like  a  distinct  roar  or  the  monotonous  groan  of  a  fly- 
wheel." Lieutenant  Lockwood,  seeing  in  the  distance  a  dark 
line  which  seemed  to  indicate  open  water,  moved  in  advance  of 
the  working  party,  and  passed  on  to  a  level  floe,  which  he  soon 
found  to  be  in  motion.  At  this  point  the  open  condition  of  the 
straits,  the  increased  darkness,  and  the  doubtful  prospects  of 
success,  wisely  determined  Lieutenant  Lockwood  to  return  to 
Depot  "B."  An  examination  of  Robeson  Channel  on  the 
subsequent  morning  showed  a  channel  of  open  water  of  vary- 
ing width,  which  was  continually  changing,  according  to  the 
movements  of  the  pack. 

His  return  to  the  station  occurred  during  the  spring  tides, 
which,  forcing  water  through  the  tidal  crack,  had  covered 
the  ice-foot  in  many  places.  On  several  occasions  the  new  ice 
which  had  formed  over  these  pools  was  not  sufficiently  strong 
to  bear  the  party,  and  at  times  they  broke  through  it,  wetting 
several  to  the  knees.  They  were  frequently  obliged  to  travel 
on  this  dangerous  ice-foot  on  account  of  the  steep  shore,  which 
was  impracticable  owing  to  its  occasional  drifts  and  exposed 
rocks.  In  the  middle  of  St.  Patrick  Bay,  after  the  dry  ice  had 
been  reached,  the  party  was  halted  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  men  changed  their  foot-gear. 


152  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

On  camping  at  Depot  "  A,"  near  Cape  Murchison,  they  found 
that  Private  Biederbick  had  frozen  quite  severely  one  of  his 
toes,  despite  the  changes  of  foot-gear  during  the  day.  As  it 
gave  him  much  pain,  he  was  put  into  a  sleeping-bag,  and 
hauled  on  the  sledge  to  the  station.  He  was  soon  again  fit  for 
duty,  as  the  frost-bite,  though  severe,  was  fortunately  superficial. 
Sergeants  Brainard,  Lynn,  and  Council  suffered  likewise  from 
slight  frost-bites,  though  none  of  them  were  serious. 

In  regard  to  sledging  along  the  Grinnell  Land  coast  north- 
ward, Lieutenant  Lockwood  says :  "  High,  rocky,  precipitous 
bluffs  follow  the  west  contour  of  the  coast-line,  broken  in  by 
gradually  sloping  mountain-sides  near  Watercourse  and  Shift- 
rudder  Bays.  Sledging  of  any  kind  is  impracticable  along  this 
route  at  any  time,  except  on  the  ice-foot  or  main  floe.  The 
debris  from  the  cliffs  forms  an  inclined  plane  extending  to  the 
edge  of  the  sea.  This  slope  is  only  occasionally  such  as  to 
allow  travelling  thereon,  and  even  where  possible  the  alternate 
bare  rocks  and  steep  snow-drifts  make  it  extremely  laborious." 

Along  such  a  bold  coast  no  satisfactory  sledging  work  can  be 
done  until  the  bitter  cold  of  winter  has  bound  fast  into  a  secure 
and  solid  mass  the  sea-floes — the  only  true  Arctic  highway. 

The  temperature  remained  quite  steady  at  about  — 13° 
(—  25.0°  C.)  during  the  absence  of  the  party.  The  lowest  tem- 
perature noted  was  -26°  (-32.2°  C.). 

Our  sledge  trips  that  autumn  stand  perhaps  unparalleled,  con- 
sidering our  high  latitude,  as  the  sun  had  been  twenty-three 
days  absent  when  the  last  party  returned  to  the  station. 

The  results  of  these  winter  journeys  satisfied  me  of  the  in- 
advisability  of  sending  sledge  parties  to  any  considerable  dis- 
tance after  the  sun  has  left  or  before  its  return.  The  advan- 
tages derived  are  rarely  commensurate  with  the  energy  expended. 
This  does  not  apply  to  journeys  entailing  absence  of  one  or 


3    I 


SLEDGING   IN   THE   AKCTIO   TWILIGHT.  153 

two  nights,  where  parties  have  a  certain  and  comfortable  shelter 
within  reach. 

The  benefit  which  came  from  these  journeys  was  largely 
moral,  and  resulted,  in  a  great  measure,  from  the  fact  that  the 
monotony  of  our  first  winter  commenced  .only  in  the  middle  of 
November,  and  not  with  the  sun's  departure  a  month  earlier. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

OUR    FIRST    DARK    DAYS. 

TT  is  the  unknown  which  awes  and  terrifies,  and  so,  gazing 
with  a  certain  dread  at  the  departing  sun,  the  actual  ex- 
periences of  the  first  dark  days  came  to  us  as  a  relief,  and  not 
as  a  hardship.  For  a  time  it  then  seemed  that  our  brooding 
imaginations  had  played  us  false,  and  that  an  Arctic  night,  un- 
broken for  nearly  five  months,  was  not  so  trying  after  all. 

But,  as  the  rapidly  fading  twilight  gave  place  to  darkness, 
and  day  after  day  brought  only  the  gloomy  sky  and  growing 
cold,  we  began  to  realize  that  it  is  not  so  much  the  conditions  of 
cold  and  darkness  in  themselves,  which  render  life  in  the  high 
north  so  insupportable,  as  their  eternal  reiteration  and  con- 
tinuing monotony. 

That  the  long-continued  darkness  exercised  a  depressing  in- 
fluence on  most  of  the  party  was  evident  to  every  observing 
person.  Naturally  no  one  was  inclined  to  admit  that  he  was 
personally  affected,  but  no  one  escaped  this  influence.  The 
most  marked  signs  among  us  were  tendency  to  insomnia,  indis- 
position to  exertion,  irritability  of  temper,  and  other  similar 
symptoms  abnormal  to  our  usual  characteristics  both  mental 
and  physical.  In  my  own  case,  although  following  a  set  routine, 
it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  I  could  limit  my  sleeping-hours 
to  a  reasonable  number,  or  apply  myself  steadily  and  success- 
fully to  continued  mental  work.  While  free  from  mental  de- 
pression, insomnia,  and  feelings  of  lassitude  which  characterized 


OUR  FIRST   DARK    DAYS.  155 

some,  yet  I  was  at  times  affected  by  irritability  of  temper, 
which  it  required  a  continued  mental  struggle  to  repress.  But 
few  were  exempt  from  this  symptom.  Our  faces  gradually 
acquired  a  pale,  yellowish-green  color,  which  was  disagreeable  to 
view,  and  the  extent  of  which  was  not  clearly  appreciated  until 
the  return  of  light. 

The  sun  was  last  seen  at  the  station  October  14th,  and  again 
reappeared  on  February  28th,  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
days  later.  There  has  been  much  written  about  Arctic  dark- 
ness, but  the  test  usually  given,  that  of  text  legible  at  noon, 
conveys  to  most  persons  an  inadequate  idea  of  its  intensity. 
The  sun,  indeed,  comes  near  the  horizon  at  midday  for  a  short 
time,  and  the  effect  is  apt  to  be  overrated.  At  Fort  Conger 
stars  were  to  be  seen  at  lopal  noon  seven  days  after  the  sun 
had  gone  for  the  winter,  and  so  remained  visible  in  a  cloudless 
sky  for  over  four  months.  In  all  these  days  the  southern  hori- 
zon lightened  up  with  more  or  less  glow,  the  effects  of  which 
some  have  perhaps  shown  a  great  tendency  to  exaggerate,  while 
others  have  shown  an  equal  disposition  to  lessen.  It  is  true, 
that  on  December  21st  a  twilight  arch  of  several  degrees  existed 
in  the  latitude  of  Conger,  but  the  practical  benefit  from  such 
arch  is  disputable.*  The  darkness  of  midday  at  Conger  was 
such,  for  nearly  two  months  in  midwinter,  that  the  time  could 
not  be  told  from  a  watch  held  up  with  its  face  to  the  south. 
From  this  it  will  be  readily  understood,  that  in  midwinter  the 
light  from  the  sun  at  noon  is  far  less  than  that  which  is  re- 
ceived from  the  full  moon  in  middle  latitudes. 

*  This  statement  is  made  with  reference  to  astronomical  twilight,  which 
ends  when  the  sun  is  18°  below  the  horizon.  With  reference  to  what  is 
known  as  civil  twilight,  which  ends  at  6  below,  no  twilight  existed  at  Conger 
during  December.  Apparently  opposing  statements  as  to  Arctic  twilight  re- 
sult from  an  indiscriminate  use  of  these  standards. 


156  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Regarding  the  Arctic  night  in  general,  the  light  is  very 
slightly  greater  than  that  of  clear  nights  in  middle  latitudes, 
and  as  the  sky  is  unusually  cloudless  at  Conger,  very  dark 
nights  were  uncommon.  Whether  it  be,  as  I  suspect,  from  the 
great  freedom  of  the  atmosphere  from  dust  or  not,  the  stars  of 
one  fainter  magnitude  could  be  seen  at  Conger  than  in  lower 
latitudes.  The  "milky- way,"  on  very  bright  nights,  was  so 
clear  and  distinct,  that  frequently  on  stepping  outside  the  door 
it  gave  me  the  impression  of  a  feeble  auroral  light,  such  as  is 
commonly  seen.  The  snow,  too,  seems  to  give  out  a  certain 
amount  of  fine  phosphorescent  light.  "Whether  it  stores  up  the 
light  received  during  the  prevalence  of  the  moon  or  not,  and 
radiates  it  later,  I  cannot  say. 

The  light  from  various  sources  wag  such  in  amount,  that  only  on 
a  few  cloudy,  stormy  days  were  we  ever  prevented  by  darkness 
from  taking  our  regular  exercise.  The  departure  of  the  sun 
and  the  coming  of  winter  weather  were  nearly  coincident.  On 
October  8th  the  mean  temperature  sank  below  zero  (—17.8°  C.), 
there  to  remain  continuously  for  six  months  and  a  day.  For 
over  five  months,  November  to  March  inclusive,  no  single  ob- 
servation was  noted  higher  than  —3°  (  —  19.4°  C.).  Our  lowest 
October  temperature,  —31.1°  (— 35.1°C.),  occurred  on  the  18th, 
three  days  after  the  sun  left.  The  mean  for  that  month  was 
-9.22°  (-22.9°  C.),  which  has  but  twice  been  exceeded. 

During  the  month  of  October  the  leisure  hours  of  the  men 
were  occupied  in  banking  up  the  house  quite  thoroughly.  A 
wall  of  ice,  six  feet  high,  was  constructed  some  three  feet 
from  the  house,  and  was  rendered  wind-proof  by  a  coating  of 
wet  snow.  The  space  between  the  wall  and  house  was  later 
filled  in  with  loose,  dry  snow,  an  excellent  protection  from  its 
great  non-conductivity  to  heat.  The  second  year  we  improved 
on  the  arrangement  of  the  first  year,  and  carried  the  wall  of  ice 


OUR  FIRST   DARK   DAYS.  157 

and  snow  up  to  the  very  eaves  of  the  house,  a  work  which 
added  much  to  our  winter's  comfort. 

October  25th,  ten  days  after  the  sun  had  gone,  we  were  much 
surprised  by  one  of  the  party  making  the  startling  announce- 
ment that  the  sun  was  to  be  seen  in  the  southern  sky.  It 
proved  to  be  a  beautiful  mock- sun,  which  remained  visible 
nearly  an  hour,  its  burning  colors  being  watched  with  attentive 
interest  as  the  reflected  image  that  revealed  the  course  of  our 
lost  luminary.  It  showed  a  brilliant  disk  of  blue,  yellow,  and 
red,  about  four  degrees  above  the  horizon,  with  bars  of  white 
light  extending  from  its  centre  upward  and  downward.  I  know 
of  no  other  instance  in  which  this  phenomenon  has  been  wit- 
nessed after  the  going  of  the  winter  sun. 

Our  photographer  succeeded  a  few  days  later,  despite  the 
absence  of  direct  sunlight,  in  making  a  fair  negative,  by  expos- 
ing a  sensitive  dry  plate  for  an  hour,  and  was  similarly  success- 
ful seventeen  days  before  the  return  of  the  sun. 

The  hunters  continued  in  the  field  throughout  all  October, 
more  for  exercise  than  in  any  well-founded  hopes  of  shooting 
anything.  The  existence  of  game  was  undoubted,  for,  during 
the  last  three  days  of  the  month,  two  wolves  and  a  fox  were 
seen,  and  a  hare  crossed  the  Dutch  Island  trail  on  freshly 
fallen  snow  within  a  mile  of  the  house. 

There  exists  a  general  impression  that  the  nearer  the  geo- 
graphical pole  is  reached  the  brighter  and  more  frequent  are 
auroral  displays.  The  region  most  favored  with  such  phenomena 
is  a  belt  of  country  in  North  America,  south  of  the  magnetic 
pole,  in  about  latitude  60°  K.,  over  a  thousand  miles  to  the 
southward  of  our  station. 

Some  of  our  displays  were  grand  and  magnificent  in  the 
extreme,  but  in  general  they  were  lances  of  white  light,  having 
perhaps  a  faint  tinge  of  golden  or  citron  color,  which  appeared 


158  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

as  moving  shafts  or  spears  under  the  formation  known  as 
"  merry  dancers."  The  aurora  of  Grinnell  Land  is  by  no  means 
comparable  with  those  of  glowing,  burning  colors,  such  as  are 
to  be  seen  in  Hudson  Bay  country  and  Siberia,  and  some  of 
which  have  been  so  vividly  portrayed  by  Kennan  in  his  "  Tent 
Life  in  Siberia." 

Our  first  winter  was  marked  by  displays  about  twice  each 
week,  in  which  the  arch  was  the  most  common  form  after  the 
streamer  ;  magnetic  disturbances  were  rare  during  colorless  and 
slowly  changing  forms.  The  list  of  auroras  will  be  found 
among  the  appendices,  but  the  following  brief  description  covers 
the  most  remarkable  and  striking  displays  of  the  early  winter. 

The  aurora  of  October  28th,  although  of  short  duration,  was 
marked  by  heavy  magnetical  disturbances,  which  attained  the 
maximum  eight  minutes  after  the  last  ray  faded.  The  stream- 
ers were  numerous  and  very  brilliant,  despite  their  colorless 
character.  At  one  time  their  shining  lances  of  light  converged 
into  a  beautiful  corona,  which  seemed  to  rest,  a  crown  of  golden 
light,  on  the  dark  brow  of  the  high  cliffs  to  the  southwest. 

November  14th  :  "  In  the  shape  of  a  nebulous  mass,  much 
resembling  a  mass  of  freshly  escaped  steam,  which  appeared  to 
be  brilliantly  illuminated  by  reflected  rays  from  a  powerful 
calcium  light.  Generally  colorless,  it  once  showed  a  delicate 
rosy  tinge  for  a  few  moments."  Later :  "  A  beautiful  and 
brilliant  arch,  about  3°  wide,  formed  of  twisted,  convoluted 
bandi  of  light,  similar  to  twisted  ribbons,  extended  from  the 
southwest  through  the  zenith  to  the  northeastern  horizon. 
Occasionally  well-marked  and  clearly-defined  patches  of  light 
detached  themselves,  as  puffs  of  smoke  from  a  pipe,  and  drifted 
fading  to  the  north-northwest.  The  arch  seemed  to  be  con- 
tinually renewing  itself  from  the  southwest  to  fade  at  the  oppo- 
site end."  Perhaps  a  better  idea  of  this  peculiar  formation 


OUR   FIRST   DARK   DAYS.  159 

may  be  conveyed  by  likening  the  display  to  an  arch  having  the 
appearance  of  a  revolving,  endless  screw.  This  formation  was 
by  no  means  infrequent,  but  I  have  never  seen  it  elsewhere,  or 
known  it  to  be  described.  The  ribbon  shape  seems  an  Arctic 
and  unusual  form.  It  was  first  recorded,  I  believe,  by  "Whym- 
per  in  his  Alaskan  experiences,  and  later  by  Nares  in  1875. 

December  19th :  "  A  particularly  fine  aurora,  like  a  pillar 
of  glowing  fire,  from  horizon  to  horizon  through  the  zenith, 
showing  at  times  a  decidedly  rosy  tint,  and  later  a  Nile-green 
color." 

The  monotony  and  unchanging  character  of  Arctic  life 
afford  few  chances  of  connected  or  interesting  narrative,  so  I 
shall  frequently  quote  freely  from  my  journal,  as  giving  the 
clearest  idea  of  our  life  by  showing  how  eagerly  apparent  trifles 
are  touched  and  dwelt  on. 

Other  than  the  departure  of  the  sledge  parties  which  left  the 
station  in  the  early  days  of  November,  the  most  important  in- 
cidents wene  the  births  of  the  two  litters  of  pups,  five  of  which 
came  on  the  2d  and  five  on  the  3d  of  the  month.  My 
journal  of  November  4th  says  :  "  Two  of  the  last  litter  and  one 
of  the  first  have  died,  and  another  was  eaten  by  one  of  the 
pack.  This  evening  the  remaining  pups  of  the  last  litter  were 
for  a  time  abandoned  by  their  mother,  who  left  them  to  quarrel 
with  the  mother  of  the  other  litter,  which  were  in  the  same 
room  with  her.  During  the  temporary  absence  of  the  mother, 
we  placed  one  of  her  pups  with  the  other  litter,  but  it  was 
pushed  away  by  the  indignant  parent,  who  declined  any  ad- 
dition to  her  cares.  Finally  the  deserting  mother  returned  to 
her  puppies." 

Another  litter  came  a  few  days  later,  and  one  of  the  mothers, 
waiting  her  opportunity,  seized  one  of  the  pups  of  the  new 
litter  and  was  about  to  devour  it  when  discovered,  too  late  to 


160  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

save  its  life.  It  was  found  to  be  a  common  practice  for  the 
dogs  to  seize  and  devour  young  pups,  but,  although  the  bitches 
ate  readily  the  litters  of  others,  it  never  fell  under  our  notice 
that  a  mother  ever  ate  one  of  her  own  pups. 

These  dogs  were  placed  in  the  care  of  Private  Schneider,  as 
our  Eskimo  were  of  the  opinion  that  they  could  not  survive. 
The  experiences  of  our  predecessors  had  shown  the  difficulty,  if 
not  impossibility,  of  raising  litters  born  in  the  early  winter. 
Our  original  teams,  however,  had  been  so  thinned  by  dog-dis- 
ease that  I  felt  the  importance  of  attempting  to  strengthen 
them,  for  at  least  the  second  winter,  by  raising  these  recruits. 
Nares  also  says  pertinently,  "An  Eskimo  is  anything  but  a 
good  nurse,  and  although  Frederick  is  a  valuable  man  in  other 
ways,  he  cannot  be  induced  to  take  sufficient  care  of  the  young 
dogs."  My  experiences  were  the  same,  and  I  selected  for  the 
work  Private  Schneider.  He  devoted  much  time  and  attention 
to  them,  and  eventually  succeeded  in  raising  fifteen  puppies,  all 
of  which  were  of  great  benefit  to  us  in  subsequent  sledging 
operations.  The  disinclination  of  our  puppies  to  open  their 
eyes  on  the  tenth  day  more  than  ever  confirmed  their  keeper 
in  the  opinion  that  the  Eskimo  dog  is  an  extraordinary  animal. 
Those  raised  by  Schneider  were  also  broken  to  harness  success- 
fully, and  driven  by  him  the  following  summer. 

"  Our  dogs  would  now  never  be  recognized  as  the  same 
wolfish,  snapping,  untamed  animals  obtained  at  the  Greenland 
ports.  Good  care,  plenty  of  food,  and  kind  treatment  had  filled 
out  their  gaunt  frames,  put  them  in  good  working  condition, 
and  made  them  as  good-natured,  affectionate,  and  trustful  as 
though  they  had  never  been  pounded,  half  starved,  and  gener- 
ally abused  from  their  puppyhood  upward."  Half-starved  ani- 
mals, who  have  never  been  kindly  spoken  to,  and  who  have 
been  cruelly  beaten  on  the  slightest  pretence,  necessarily  assume 


OUR   FIRST  DARK    DAYS.  161 

in  self-defence  a  threatening  and  vicious  attitude  toward  all 
comers.  They  were  regularly  fed,  first  on  alternate  days,  and 
then  once  daily,  and  we  never  found  it  necessary  to  maltreat 
and  beat  them  to  ensure  fair  behavior  at  feeding-time.  Indeed 
feeding-time  was  the  only  occasion  on  which  rival  dogs  would 
not  fight,  for  long  experience  had  taught  them  it  was  a  losing 
game ;  whichever  dog  won,  both  invariably  lost  their  food 
through  neutral  and  wiser  parties. 

For  a  time  amusement  was  afforded  us  by  the  discovery  of  a 
remarkable  double  echo,  which  gave  back  distinctly  the  seven 
syllables  contained  in  the  words  "  taking  sea  temperatures." 

The  excitement  consequent  on  the  return,  November  8th,  of 
the  last  sledging  party  for  the  winter,  with  Private  Biederbick 
frost-bitten,  had  not  died  away,  when  two  days  later  our  second 
fire  occurred.  It  was  the  carpenter's  tent  again,  which  had  been 
pitched  a  sufficient  distance  from  the  house  to  ensure  the  safety 
of  the  latter.  The  fire  was  as  usual  the  outcome  of  careless- 
ness, resulting  from  an  attempt  to  fill  a  gasoline-lamp  without 
extinguishing  it.  Sergeant  Elison,  who  was  the  careless  man, 
paid  dearly  for  his  imprudence,  as  the  flaming  oil  burned 
severely  his  hands  and  face,  destroying  his  beard,  eye-brows, 
and  a  part  of  his  hair,  fortunately  without  serious  after-effects. 
The  temperature  was  32°  below  zero  (—35.6°  C.)  at  the  time,  but 
the  fire  organization  was  promptly  on  hand,  and  did  good  service 
with  the  extinguishers.  No  delay  or  confusion  was  experienced 
by  the  men  in  taking  the  places  or  performing  the  duties  as- 
signed them  by  the  written  instructions,  and  good  order  was 
marked.  After  the  extinguishers  were  emptied,  the  remainder 
of  the  fire  was  smothered  by  blankets.  The  tent4  was  not  de- 
stroyed, and  but  few  things  of  importance  were  damaged. 
Fortunately  the  party  engaged  in  putting  out  the  fire  escaped 

any  serious  frost-bites,  although  the  cold  was  intense. 
11 


162  THREE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

In  connection  with  the  question  of  fire,  I  made  it  a  point  daily 
to  examine  the  wood-work  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
chimneys,  which  were  so  arranged  as  to  render  the  chance  of  a 
fire  without  immediate  detection  almost  impossible.  Such  wood- 
work as  was  exposed  to  the  heat  from  the  chimneys  was  in- 
variably left  bare,  so  that  its  condition  might  be  readily  seen, 
which  would  not  have  been  possible  had  it  been  covered  by  tin 
or  sheet-iron. 

Sergeant  Brainard's  journal  of  November  llth  indicated  the 
opinion  of  the  men  as  to  suitable  clothing  for  ordinary  use.  He 
says :  "  Considerable  attention  is  being  given  by  the  men  to 
the  manufacture  of  blanket-clothing ;  it  is  considered  superior 
to  the  ordinary  issue  if  stable-frocks  and  overalls  (thin  duck) 
are  worn  over  to  prevent  snow  from  adhering  to  the  rough, 
woolly  surface." 

The  experiences  of  the  expedition  confirmed  the  opinion  of 
iNares,  Payer,  Nordenskiold,  and  many  others,  that  for  ordi- 
nary use,  first-class  woollen  under-garments,  with  heavy,  woollen 
clothing,  are  all  that  is  essential  in  Arctic  service. 

The  monotony  of  Arctic  life  commenced  about  that  time. 
Different  methods  to  alleviate  its  discomforts  and  depressions 
were  broached,  none  of  which  were  particularly  successful,  as, 
indeed,  none  can  be.  A  tri-weekly  school  was  commenced  by 
me  during  the  month,  which  was  kept  up  through  the  entire 
winter  with  marked  benefit  to  the  men  attending.  In  this 
work  Lieutenant  Lockwood  relieved  me  by  his  cheerful  and 
considerate  assistance.  Arithmetic,  grammar,  geography,  and 
meteorology  were  taught.  For  a  time  Dr.  Pavy  instructed 
two  men  in  French.  The  educational  qualifications  of  the  men 
were  very  good,  and .  there  was  but  one  of  the  party  on  its 
original  formation  who  was  unable  to  write,  and  he  acquired 
that  attainment  during  our  stay  at  Conger. 


OUR   FIRST  DARK   DAYS.  163 

Lieutenant  Lockwood,  with  the  assistance  of  Sergeant  Kice 
and  Private  Henry,  edited  a  semi-monthly  newspaper,  the 
Arctic  Moon.  Its  prospectus,  issued  on  the  14th,  excited  curios- 
ity and  interest  until  it  appeared  on  the  24th.  It  lived,  how- 
ever, only  for  two  months,  dying  for  lack  of  interest,  although 
it  served  its  temporary  purpose  of  amusement  and  diversion. 

It  was  not  until  November  14th  that  the  temperature  of 
freezing  mercury  (—38.3°  C.)  was  noted,  and  the  day  following 
a  number  of  oils  and  other  substances  were  exposed  in  a  tem- 
perature of  —25°  (  —  31.7°  C.)  for  the  purpose  of  noting  the 
effect  of  low  temperatures  upon  them.  At  a  temperature  of  —  30° 
(—34°  C.),  tincture  of  hyoscyamus  and  oil  of  peppermint  were 
frozen  solid.  Coal-oil  became  of  the  consistency  of  syrup  at 
—25°  (  —  31.7°  C.),  and  commenced  to  show  signs  of  crystalliza- 
tion in  places  at  —37.4°  (-38.6°  C.).  New  England  rum, 
ninety  per  cent,  proof,  at  —41.7°  (—40.9°  C.)  showed  a  thin 
coating  of  slush,  and  at  —47.4°  (—44.1°  C.)  a  small  amount  like 
syrup  remained  in  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  the  balance  resem- 
bling mixed  snow  and  water.  At  —49.7°  (—45.4°  C.)  the  ves- 
sel could  be  inverted  without  any  liquor  escaping. 

November  17th,  the  temperature  being  at  —30°  (—34.4°  C.), 
the  construction  of  the  pendulum  piers,  which  has  been  else- 
where described,  was  commenced  by  us.  It  was  a  tedious  and 
trying,  though  successful  job  of  masonry.  A  few  days  later 
our  little  dog  Gypsy,  the  brightest  and  most  cunning  dog  of  our 
teams,  lost  her  last  puppy  through  another  mother  springing  at 
and  killing  it.  Gypsy  appeared  to  have  maternal  instincts  to  a 
marked  degree,  and  sorrowed  long  for  her  lost  litter.  For  a  con- 
siderable time  after  this  she  improved  every  opportunity,  in  the 
absence  of  their  own  mothers,  to  suckle  the  }Toung  in  other  litters. 

Although  we  were  separated  so  far  from  our  country,  yet  we 
could  not  fail  to  bear  in  mind  the  festivals  which  we  knew 


164  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

were  being  celebrated  by  our  countrymen.  Xovember  24th 
was  duly  appointed  in  orders  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and 
praise.  In  the  morning  of  that  day,  I  read  to  the  party,  as  ap- 
propriate for  the  occasion,  the  ninth  selection  of  Psalms. 

Later  came  a  series  of  races  and  friendly  contests  for  a  few 
small  prizes,  which  were  offered  by  me  to  incite  general  par- 
ticipation. There  was  scarcely  a  member  of  the  party  who  did 
not  participate  actively  as  judge,  manager,  or  contestant. 

The  snow-shoe  race  of  four  hundred  yards  was  won  by 
Sergeant  Brainard,  pressed  hard  by  Ralston  and  Gardiner. 
Later  the  Eskimo  contested  with  teams  of  seven  dogs  each  in  a 
race  to  Dutch  Island  and  return.  The  half-breed  Frederik  was 
first  in,  being,  as  the  men  said,  too  wily  and  cunning  for  the 
simple-hearted  native  Jens  to  contend  with.  A  foot-race  of  one 
hundred  yards  resulted  in  a  dead  heat  between  three,  which 
was  eventually  won  by  Ellis.  In  the  afternoon  rifle-shooting 
was  tried  at  a  distance  of  twenty-five  yards  ;  a  candle  set  up  in 
a  box  being  the  bull's  eye.  This  was  won  by  Private  Henry, 
with  Jens  and  Cross  tied,  which  eventually  resulted  in  the 
Eskimo  winning. 

At  different  times  during  the  day  a  few  auroral  streamers  of 
varying  brightness  shot  up  and  vanished,  as  if  to  look  on  our 
unaccustomed  sports.  These  mysterious  and  unearthly  visitors 
from  the  far  south  had  that  day  to  me  a  weird  and  spectral 
aspect,  which  sadly  belied  their  name  of  "merry  dancers."  The 
accompanying  magnetic  disturbances  seriously  interfered  with 
the  pleasure  of  our  observer,  who  was  obliged  to  quit  the  group 
of  pleasure-seekers  to  watch  for  several  hours  in  the  cold  mag- 
netic observatory  the  vibrating  needle  which  swung  uneasily  to 
and  fro.  The  day  passed  quickly  and  pleasantly,  and  the  un- 
usual amount  of  out-of-doors  exercise  gave  all  a  sharp  appetite 
for  the  excellent  meal  which  followed. 


OUR   FIRST  DARK   DAYS.  165 

The  dinner  was  the  same  for  the  men  and  officers,  except 
that  a  small  allowance  of  Sauterne  from  my  private  supply 
garnished  the  officers'  table.  Oyster-soup,  salmon,  ham,  eider- 
ducks,  devilled  crab,  lobster-salad,  asparagus,  green  corn,  several 
kinds  of  cake  and  pie,  ice-cream,  dates,  figs,  and  nuts  com- 
prised the  menu.  In  addition  to  a  small  quantity  of  punch  at 
noon,  a  moderate  amount  of  rum  was  given  to  the  men  in  the 
evening,  which  contributed  much  to  the  merriment  of  the  day. 

On  the  27th,  at  a  temperature  of  —35°  (—37.2°  C.),  Sergeant 
Cross  froze  his  right  ear  while  absent  about  two  hours  at  exer- 
cise. This  was  the  only  occasion  of  any  such  accident  during 
our  regular  winter  exercise,  and  it  probably  resulted  from  a  lack 
of  care,  although  the  physique  of  this  man  was  such,  from  his 
habits  and  services,  as  to  mark  him  as  the  individual  of  the 
party  least  calculated  to  endure  hardships  and  exposure. 

About  five  hundred  pounds  of  musk-meat  and  birds  com- 
prised the  fresh  meat  consumed  during  November ;  an  allowance 
of  about  twelve  ounces  daily,  which  during  December  was  in- 
creased to  nearly  a  pound. 

The  decrease  of  coal  burnt  during  November  was  over  half 
a  ton  as  against  October;  a  marked  gain  when  considering 
the  greater  cold  of  the  latter  month,  which  resulted  from  the 
change  of  stoves  in  the  men's  quarters  and  less  work  in  the  car- 
penter's tent.  The  December  cold  demanded  more  fuel,  and 
the  amount  burned  amounted  to  eight  and  a  half  tons. 

The  mean  temperature  for  the  month  of  November,  —24.53° 
(—31.41°  C.),  is  the  lowest  recorded  by  any  Arctic  expedition, 
being  over  two  degrees  colder  than  November,  1853,  experi- 
enced by  Kane  at  Van  Rensselaer  Harbor.  The  highest  tem- 
perature of  the  mouth  was  3°  below  zero  (—19.4°  C.),  and  the 
lowest  46°  below  (-43.3°  C.). 

The  general  health  of  the  party  during  this  time  was  ex- 


166  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

cellent.  Private  Long,  while  in  the  cook-house,  had'  paid  such 
close  attention  to  his  duties  that  his  health  suffered  somewhat, 
and  necessitated  his  relief  about  the  middle  of  October,  but  he 
soon  regained  his  usual  robust  condition. 

O  ' 

The  next  patient  was  the  result  of  the  only  serious  accident 
which  occurred  during  the  stay  of  the  party  at  Conger.  Sergeant 
Gardiner,  on  the  last  day  of  November,  broke  his  left  leg  by  fall- 
ing in  the  pathway  while  making  a  tidal  observation.  The  slope 
to  the  tide-gauge  was  a  steep  one,  and  in  the  dim  light  of  his 
lantern  and  the  rough  condition  of  the  ice  he  made  a  misstep, 
which  resulted  so  unfortunately.  Every  attention  was  given  to 
him,  Steward  Biederbick  being  particularly  devoted  in  his  duties 
as  nurse.  Sergeant  Gardiner's  general  health  remained  good 
despite  his  enforced  confinement  for  a  couple  of  months,  during 
which  the  bone  united  closely  but  slowly. 

December  opened  with  evidences  that  the  winter  solstice  was 
approaching,  for  the  twilight  arch  at  noon  was  exceedingly  fine, 
though  it  still  afforded  an  extremely  feeble  light,  which  was 
sufficient  to  enable  occasional  journeys  to  be  made  to  the  summit 
of  Bellot  Island  and  to  Cairn  Hill,  in  order  to  read  the  meteor- 
ological instruments  there  exposed. 

On  the  1st  Sergeants  Brainard  and  Ralston  visited  the  sum- 
mit of  Mount  Campbell  on  Bellot  Island  for  that  purpose.  They 
were  surprised  to  find  the  temperature  on  the  summit,  at  an 
elevation  of  about  twenty-one  hundred  feet,  —8°  (—22.2°  C.), 
while  that  at  the  station  was  —27.7°  (—33.1°  C.).  A  minimum 
of  —28°  (—38.9°  C.)  had  occurred  upon  the  mountain  since 
October  31st,  against  one  of  —40.8°  (—40.4°  C.)  at  the  station. 

Thermometric  tests  were  made  on  December  2d  and  other 
days,  which  were  based  on  the  assumption  that  pure  mercury 
freezes  at  —37.9°  (-38.8°  C.).  From  that  standard  our  mer- 
curial thermometers  (from  Green,  X.  Y.)  rarely  showed  errors 


OUR   FIRST  DARK    DAYS.  167 

as  great  as  1°  (0.6°  C.),  but  the  spirit  thermometers  read  from 
2°  (1.1°  C.)  to  4°  (2.2°  C.)  too  low.  Some  instruments  showed 
such  great  errors  (reading  invariably  too  low)  that  we  were  un- 
able to  use  them,  as  from  selected  thermometers  readings  of 
—80°  (—62.2°  C.)  or  lower  could  have  been  made. 

It  seems  doubtful  if  temperatures  from  alcohol  thermometers 
can  be  depended  on  below  —60°  (  —  51.1°  C.),  as  at  that  tempera- 
ture the  standard  alcohol  from  the  United  States  Medical 
Department,  reduced  by  addition  of  one-third  as  much  water, 
showed  signs  of  viscosity,  having  perceptibly  thickened. 

On  December  5th  a  lunar  eclipse  occurred,  which  was  first 
noted  by  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and  Sergeant  Jewell.  It  had 
unfortunately  escaped  the  notice  of  our  astronomer,  and  its 
ending  was  but  unsatisfactorily  noted  by  him,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  clouds  at  that  time.  As  the  eclipse  was  ending, 
the  fleecy  clouds  which  partly  concealed  the  moon,  and  sur- 
rounded it  for  a  considerable  time,  formed  around  it  to  a  space 
of  about  8°  a  most  beautiful  corona.  The  large  and  marked 
yellow  circle  which  immediately  surrounded  the  moon  changed 
imperceptibly  into  blue,  to  be  followed  again  by  yellow,  and 
that  by  red. 

A  remarkable  lunar  halo  occurred  the  same  day  ;  two  almost 
complete  circles  of  22°  and  46°  radius,  with  two  contact  arches, 
both  showing  clearly  prismatic  colors.  The  second  contact  arch 
was  remarkable  in  extending  beyond  the  zenith,  forming  nearly 
a  complete  circle. 

About  the  10th  of  December  was  the  critical  period  of  our 
life  at  Conger,  as  a  number  of  the  men  gave  indications  of  being 
mentally  affected  by  the  continual  darkness.  Their  appetites 
for  a  time  failed,  and  many  signs  of  gloom,  irritation,  and  de- 
pression were  displayed.  The  Eskimo,  however,  were  more 
seriously  affected  than  any  of  the  men.  These  symptoms  of 


168  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

restlessness  and  uneasiness  were  noted  by  me  as  early  as  the 
8th,  and  every  effort  was  made  by  personal  intercourse  to  re- 
store these  Greenlanders  to  a  cheerful  mental  condition. 

On  the  13th  Jens  Edward  disappeared,  leaving  the  station  in 
early  morning,  without  eating  his  breakfast  or  even  taking  his 
seal-skin  mittens.  The  morning  was  a  dark,  gloomy  one,  with 
threatening  aspect,  which  soon  manifested  itself  in  a  fall  of 
snow.  To  ensure  striking  the  right  trail,  Sergeant  Brainard  was 
sent  directly  north  of  the  station  for  nearly  a  half  mile,  and 
Sergeant  Rice  to  the  south,  both  parties  being  provided  with 
lanterns,  which  would  enable  them  to  describe  a  half-mile  circle 
around  the  station  to  determine  positively  the  direction  taken 
by  the  Eskimo.  His  tracks  were  found  with  some  difficulty 
southward  toward  Dutch  Island  and  Robeson  Channel.  Ser- 
geants Brainard  and  Rice,  with  Private  Whisler,  pursued  him, 
followed  later  by  Dr.  Pavy  and  a  sledge.  He  was  overtaken 
near  Cape  Murchison  travelling  rapidly  northward,  but  returned 
to  the  station  without  objection,  and  in  time  recovered  his  spirits. 
No  cause  for  his  action  in  this  respect  could  be  ascertained  other 
than  his  intense  desire  to  return  to  his  home,  or  place  himself  in 
some  situation  in  which,  according  to  the  superstitions  of  Green- 
land, he  could  have  supernatural  knowledge  of  it. 

In  the  pursuit  Sergeant  Rice,  in  one  of  his  many  falls  in 
the  rough  ice-foot  of  Robeson  Channel,  seriously  injured  his 
shoulder.  He  was  sent  back  by  Dr.  Pavy  in  charge  of  Private 
Whisler.  The  latter,  in  his  extreme  zeal  to  be  of  assistance,  had 
left  the  station  without  orders,  and  was  far  too  thinly  clad  for 
such  exposure.  The  weather  was  moderately  warm  (—29°  F., 
—  33.9°  C.),  but  the  over-exertion,  followed  by  a  reaction,  so 
affected  him  physically  and  mentally  that  he  would  have 
perished  from  cold  had  it  not  been  for  Sergeant  Rice's  judicious 
and  persistent  efforts  in  his  behalf.  The  success  of  his  action 


OUR  FIRST  DARK   DAYS.  169 

was  all  the  more  creditable  and  surprising,  as  Sergeant  Rice's 
right  arm  was  entirely  useless  from  his  fall. 

Sergeant  Rice  succeeded  in  getting  Whisler  within  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  of  the  station,  when  the  returning  dog-sledge 
fortunately  reached  them,  and  he  was  soon  brought  to  the 
station.  The  exposure  affected  Private  Whisler's  mental  facul- 
ties in  much  the  same  manner  as  was  vividly  described  by  Kane 
in  the  experiences  of  his  party,  when  several  men  eventually 
perished.  It  was  several  hours  after  his  return  to  the  station 
before  Whisler  was  entirely  in  his  right  mind.  Eskimo  Chris- 
tiansen, a  few  days  later,  seemed  to  have  the  same  intention  of 
deserting  as  Jens,  but  fortunately  was  dissuaded. 

These  affairs  gave  me  great  uneasiness  until  the  returning 
sun  and  the  commencement  of  spring  work  engaged  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Eskimo,  and  rendered  them  more  cheerful  and  con- 
tented. In  connection  with  the  action  of  these  men,  it  should 
be  said  that  the  members  of  the  expedition  had  always  treated 
the  Eskimo  in  the  kindest  and  most  considerate  manner,  care- 
fully avoiding  any  rough  pleasantries  with  or  allusions  to  them. 
Inspector  Smith  had  kindly  advised  me  on  this  subject  before 
leaving  Upernivik,  informing  me  of  the  facility  with  which 
the  Eskimo,  not  well  acquainted  with  the  English  tongue,  mis- 
understood acts  and  allusions.  The  generally  received  opinion 
as  to  the  extraordinary  appetites  of  the  Eskimo  was  not  borne 
out  by  the  actions  of  our  two  natives.  The  excellent,  hearty 
appetites  which  they  had  on  joining  were  never  excessive,  and 
were  soon  equalled  by  those  of  our  own  men.  As  to  seal- 
blubber,  they  would  not  even  taste  it  at  Fort  Conger,  and  later, 
during  the  retreat,  ate  it  sparingly  and  with  reluctance. 

On  December  16th  our  mean  temperature  for  the  day  was  for 
the  first  time  lower  than  -40°  (-40°  C.),  being  -40.9°  (-40.5° 
C.)  corrected.  Two  days  later  my  journal  says :  "  It  is  remarka- 


170  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

ble  how  our  little  puppies,  that  are  but  six  weeks  old,  endure 
the  cold.  They  rush  out  from  the  lean-to  into  the  open  air  at  a 
temperature  of  -40°  (-40°  C.)  and  -45°  (—42.8°  C.),  in  order 
to  obtain  bits  from  the  slop-bucket,  and  to-night  two  or  three 
running  into  the  water  as  it  was  thrown  out,  and  remaining 
quiet  for  a  minute,  were  actually  frozen  to  the  spot,  and  had  to 
be  cut  out  with  a  hatchet.  They  appear  none  the  worse  for 
their  misadventure." 

The  winter  solstice,  although  marking  our  shortest  day  tech- 
nically, was  by  no  means  the  darkest.  For  a  portion  of  the  day 
the  air  was  filled  with  falling  spiculae  of  frost,  which  were  not 
sufficient  to  prevent  a  view  of  the  stars.  The  outlines  of  Proteus 
Point,  four-fifths  of  a  mile  distant,  could  be  seen.  A  number 
of  the  party  visited  Dutch  Island,  among  whom  was  Sergeant 
Brainard,  who,  on  attaining  his  twenty -fifth  birthday,  was,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  general  practice,  relieved  from  duty.  The  dark- 
est day  of  the  winter,  owing  to  the  thick  rnist  and  fog,  proved 
to  be  December  12th,  on  which  the  want  of  light  and  other 
unfavorable  conditions  did  not  prevent  Lieutenant  Kislingbury 
and  others  from  taking  their  daily  walk  toward  Dutch  Island. 

My  journal  of  December  21st  says:  "We  have  long  looked 
forward  to  the  coming  of  this  day,  and  its  advent  is  a  source  of 
blessing  and  relief  to  me.  It  removes  all  fear  that  the  winter 
may  not  pass  safely  and  comfortably,  and  so  lightens  my  heart 
and  mind  most  materially.  The  blessings  of  continual  health 
and  exemption  from  serious  accidents,  except  in  Gardiner's  case, 
should  cause  feelings  of  gratitude  to  spring  up  in  our  hearts 
toward  that  Divine  Providence  which  has  us  all  in  His  keeping. 
The  sun  to-night  turns  northward  in  its  course,  and  in  a  few 
days  darkness  will  give  place  to  returning  light,  which,  as  with 
many  other  blessings,  has  never  been  fully  appreciated  until  it 
took  flight." 

o 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CHRISTMAS    AND    THE    NEW    YEAR. 

TT  appeared  surprising  that  the  mere  fact  of  the  sun  having 
-•-  commenced  its  northward  journey  should  have  such  a 
marked  effect  upon  the  spirits  of  the  men  as  was  visible  in  the 
days  immediately  following  the  winter  solstice.  It  was  the  most 
striking  illustration  of  the  many  instances  in  connection  with  our 
Arctic  experiences  as  to  the  powerful  influence  exercised  over 
the  physical  conditions  of  the  body  by  the  existing  mental  con- 
ditions. 

The  solstice  past,  the  attention  of  the  expedition  was  drawn 
to  other  considerations  incident  to  the  season,  the  most  impor- 
tant of  which  were  the  preparations  for  the  proper  celebration  of 
the  Christmas  holidays.  It  was  fortunate  that  the  preparations  for 
Christmas  entailed  certain  work  and  physical  exertion  on  the  part 
of  some  of  the  party,  as  Sergeant  Brainard,  who  had  systemati- 
cally kept  the  men  at  useful  labor,  completed  the  last  steady  out- 
door work  on  the  22d,  when  the  officers'  quarters  were  completely 
banked  up  with  snow.  This  labor,  with  the  ordinary  routine, 
sufficed  to  keep  the  men  from  brooding  too  much  over  the  con- 
trasted conditions  as  to  the  coming  and  past  Christmases,  and 
yet  kept  their  minds  healthfully  on  the  pleasures  of  the  holidays. 

In  order  that  the  quarters  should  be  especially  neat  and  tidy 
for  the  coming  celebration,  they  were  overhauled  a  day  or  two 
in  advance,  and  the  floor  was  thoroughly  washed  and  scraped. 

The  fact  of  washing  out  our  quarters  may  seem  an  ordinary 


172  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

circumstance  to  a  person  unacquainted  with  the  peculiar  condi- 
tions of  Arctic  life,  but  it  was  perhaps  an  unique  experience 
that  the  sleeping-quarters  of  an  Arctic  party  were  thoroughly 
washed  and  scoured  in  midwinter.  "Whatever  water  is  brought 
into  the  quarters  in  this  manner  must  necessarily  be  taken  up  by 
the  air  and  deposited  elsewhere  in  the  shape  of  hoar-frost.  The 
fact  that  water  continuously  froze  on  the  floor  in  all  our  rooms 
necessitated  scraping  the  floor  after  washing  it.  This  precau- 
tion, with  a  slight  increase  in  the  fires,  succeeded  in  giving  us 
thoroughly  clean  quarters  for  our  Christmas  exercises,  without 
any  inconvenience  or  suffering  following. 

The  preparation  of  the  Christmas  dinner  was  commenced 
several  days  in  advance,  as  from  its  extensive  character  much 
extra  labor  was  entailed  upon  Frederick,  who  was  the  regular 
cook.  Unfortunately  he  burned  his  arm  quite  badly  on  the 
22d,  but,  despite  his  condition,  requested  that  he  be  permitted 
to  complete  his  tour  of  duty.  Long,  who  was  considered  the 
especial  cook  of  the  party,  with  his  customary  cheerfulness, 
assisted  Frederick  in  the  preparation  of  this  important  meal. 

The  capacity  of  our  excellent  cooking-range,  with  its  large 
ovens  and  hot-water  boilers,  was  thoroughly  tested  on  Christmas 
Day.  When  Frederick,  the  cook,  had  planned  out  a  place  for 
cooking  the  many  dishes  for  the  great  dinner,  he  was  thrown 
into  a  state  of  dismay  on  learning  that  plum-pudding  had  been 
added  to  the  list.  He  came  to  me,  saying  that  he  did  not  see 
how  he  could  cook  this  dish,  as  his  range  was  taxed  to  its  ut- 
most ;  and  he  was  much  relieved  to  learn  that  Mrs.  Greely  had 
sent  a  case  of  pudding  as  a  Christmas  present  for  the  expedition. 

The  quarters  thoroughly  cleaned,  Sergeants  Brainard  and 
Rice  took  upon  themselves  the  task  of  elaborately  decorating 
the  quarters  with  such  flags,  guidons,  and  other  articles  as  could 
be  used  in  draping  or  ornamenting.  I  refrained  from  visiting 


CHRISTMAS   AND   THE   NEW   YEAR.  173 

the  men's  room,  until  on  Christmas  eve  I  was  notified  that  my 
presence  was  desired,  and  on  entering  I  was  greatly  delighted 
with  the  changed  appearance  of  the  general  quarters.  The 
room,  low- studded  and  unpainted,  had  never  presented  a  cheer- 
ful aspect,  even  in  our  days  of  sunlight,  and  during  the  winter 
season  the  accumulation  of  soot  from  the  soft  coal  burned  in 
the  quarters  had  given  it  an  air  of  gloom  and  darkness,  which 
was  largely  enhanced  through  the  subtle  influence  of  association 
by  the  monotony  of  the  long  days  passed  within  it.  The  room 
was  now  well  lighted,  and  with  its  elaborate  trimmings  had  a 
gay  and  lively  appearance  not  unlike  that  presented  by  army 
quarters  in  the  far  West  on  like  occasions. 

I  made  a  few  remarks  suitable  to  the  festival  we  were  to 
celebrate  and  with  reference  to  our  peculiar  situation,  apart 
from  and  yet  a  part  of  the  great  civilized  world. 

I  had  assigned  to  Sergeant  Rice  the  grateful  task  of  distribut- 
ing the  Christmas  gifts,  and  he  performed  his  duty  with  pleas- 
ant and  well-received  remarks  befitting  each  gift  and  its  appropri- 
ateness for  the  recipient.  We  had  neglected  to  provide  ourselves 
with  a  Christmas  tree,  and  our  new  country  afforded  not  even 
the  semblance  of  a  shrub,  the  largest  plant — the  creeping  Arctic 
willow — being  about  a  foot  long  and  not  over  an  inch  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  In  consequence  the  presents  were 
spread  out  on  our  largest  table. 

The  thoughtful  consideration  of  a  few  friends  and  well- 
wishers  of  the  expedition,  some  of  whom  were  personally  un- 
known to  any  of  us,  had  resulted  in  the  donation  of  many 
articles  both  valuable  and  useful.  Every  officer  and  man  re- 
ceived a  package  addressed  to  him  personally,  and  some  were 
sent  for  distribution  at  the  discretion  of  the  commanding  officer. 
The  idea  was  a  most  happy  one,  and  it  would  have  done  the 
generous  donors  much  good  could  they  have  known  the  keen 


174  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

pleasure  their  gifts  made  in  the  hearts  of  the  men  who  received 
them.  A  number  of  the  men,  who  had  lived  lives  marked  by 
neglect  and  indifference  on  the  part  of  the  world,  were  touched 
even  to  tears,  although  they  strove  man-like  to  conceal  them. 
The  commanding  officer  received  a  fan — not  needed  for  Arctic 
use ;  and  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  a  small  dog,  which  excited 
the  more  amusement  when  he  turned  away  the  ridicule  by 
calling  out,  "  O  !  Schneider,  don't  you  want  to  buy  a  dog  ? " 
Poor  Schneider  did  not  hear  the  last  of  it  for  several  days. 
The  prosperity  of  the  joke  lay  in  the  fact  that  Schneider  had 
for  many  weeks  devoted  his  spare  time  and  attention  to  the 
successful  raising  of  our  Arctic  puppies. 

These  gifts  were  supplemented  bj7  a  number  from  the  com- 
manding officer,  which  were  distributed  by  lot — some  of  value 
and  others  of  an  amusing  character.  A  plentiful  supply  of 
eggnog,  and  the  removal  of  the  restriction  as  to  the  hour  of 
retiring,  made  the  evening  a  delightful  one,  and  long  after  the 
Sabbath  and  Christmas  came  together  the  quarters  resounded 
to  hymns,  chants,  carols,  and  sentimental  songs. 

Christmas  morning  came  clear  and  cold,  with  a  temperature 
of  freezing  mercury,  which  moderated  later  in  the  day.  The 
calm  air,  unstirred  by  wind,  made  exercise  tolerable,  and  all 
sought  the  harbor-floe  for  a  long  walk,  in  hopes  of  a  marvellous 
appetite. 

At  10  A.M.  the  Psalms  for  Christmas  were  read,  to  which  I 
added  as  appropriate  the  second  selection,  consisting  of  the 
139th  and  140th  Psalms.  This  reading  was  supplemented  by 
the  singing  of  a  hymn  and  the  doxology,  led  off  by  Lieutenant 
Kislingbury.  I  remember  no  service  in  all  our  Arctic  experi- 
ences which  so  affected  and  impressed  the  men,  unless  it  was 
that  at  our  first  burial  in  the  winter  at  Sabine.  Our  thoughts 
and  tenderest  feelings  could  not  but  go  out  to  those  we  had  left 


CHRISTMAS   AND   THE  NEW   YEAR.  175 

behind,  with  doubts  and  fears  as  to  whether  it  fared  well  or  ill 
with  them,  never  distrusting  but  their  hearts  were  with  us  in 
our  Arctic  Christinas. 

Christmas  falling  on  Sunday,  no  amusements  of  any  kind  were 
attempted,  but  everyone  waited  with  interest  and  a  certain 
impatience  for  the  dinner,  which  was  as  elaborate  as  our  stores 
would  permit. 

The  menu  for  the  dinner  was  as  follows :  Mock-turtle  soup, 
salmon,  fricasseed  guillemot,  spiced  musk-ox  tongue,  crab-salad, 
roast  beef,  eider-ducks,  tenderloin  of  musk-ox,  potatoes,  aspara- 
gus, green  corn,  green  peas,  cocoanut-pie,  jelly-cake,  plum-pud- 
ding with  wine-sauce,  several  kinds  of  ice-cream,  grapes,  cherries, 
pineapples,  dates,  figs,  nuts,  candies,  coffee,  chocolate.  Egg- 
nog  was  served  to  the  party  in  moderate  quantities,  and  an 
extra  allowance  of  rum  was  also  issued  in  celebration  of  the  day. 

The  candies,  plum-pudding  and  cigars  were  the  most  ap- 
preciated, not  only  for  the  satisfaction  they  afforded  the  taste, 
but  as  being  gifts  from  thoughtful  friends.  The  cigars  came 
from  an  army  lady  who  knew  the  weakness  of  the  rank  and 
file  for  the  consoling  weed,  and  the  candies  were  from  a  leading 
confectioner  of  New  York  City. 

On  the  26th  the  men  were  busy  in  the  preparation  for  a 
variety  show,  which  was  set  for  that  evening,  as  Christmas  had 
fallen  on  Sunday.  The  Lime-Juice  Club  announced  that  they 
would  perform  at  the  Dutch  Island  Opera  House  for  one  night 
only,  and  that  dog-chariots  could  be  ordered  at  10  P.M.  The 
admission  fee  was  in  tobacco,  the  current  coin  of  Grinnell  Land. 

The  first  act  was  a  representation  of  an  Indian  council,  which 
ended  with  a  war-dance.  Nine  of  the  party  participated  in 
this  scene,  which  was  admirably  rendered.  Most  of  the  actors 
had  served  in  the  far  West,  and  some  had  spent  months  con- 
tinuously in  Indian  camps,  and  so  were  thoroughly  familiar 


176  THREE   YEAKS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

with  the  parts  they  portrayed.  I  doubt  very  much  if  a  more 
realistic  representation  of  the  wild  red-man  was  ever  presented 
in  the  Arctic  Circle,  if  elsewhere. 

A  female  impersonation  followed,  by  Schneider,  which  afforded 
amusement  for  the  party,  but  particularly  so  to  the  Eskimo. 
Schneider  had  provided  himself  at  the  Greenland  ports  with  the 
entire  costume  of  the  Eskimo  belle,  and  being  a  small  man,  was 
able  to  squeeze  himself  into  the  garments.  As  he  appeared  on 
the  scene  with  his  elaborate  make-up  and  closely-shaven  face, 
one  was  struck  by  the  excellent  resemblance  to  the  Innuit  belles 
whom  we  had  seen  in  lower  latitudes.  In  his  amowt,  or  woman's 
hood,  he  brought  the  largest  of  his  charges,  one  of  the  Grinnell 
Land  puppies,  who  was  nearly  frightened  to  death  by  the  ap- 
plause which  greeted  his  first  advent  into  polite  society.  Ex- 
cellent comic  songs  by  Henry  were  followed  by  equally  amusing 
imitations  of  a  well-known  military  character  by  Connell. 

The  entire  party  were  prepared  for  a  delightful  and  interesting 
literary  treat  from  Sergeant  Jewell,  who  announced  that  he 
would  give  a  select  reading.  It  proved  to  be  a  well-received 
jest,  which  ended  the  entertainment  for  the  evening.  Jewell 
entered,  and  after  elaborately  arranging  and  opening  a  large 
volume,  carefully  hung  up  an  aneroid  barometer  and  made  a 
special  reading  of  it  for  the  meteorological  information  of  the 
party. 

The  full  light  of  the  moon  came  to  us  again  on  the  27th, 
affording  a  clear  and  excellent  view  of  the  surrounding  country, 
which  had  been  hidden  from  us  for  a  long  time  by  the  intense 
darkness  of  the  moonless  midwinter.  We  congratulated  our- 

O 

selves  that  this  luminary  would  remain  with  us  until  the  re- 
flected rays  of  the  sun  would  give  us  again  some  faint  light  at 
midday. 

On  December  30th  my  journal  says:  "  I  was  glad  to  hear 


CHRISTMAS    AND   THE   NEW   YEAR.  177 

a  very  warm  and  long  debate  between  the  party  as  to  the  rel- 
ative merits  of  the  cavalry  and  infantry  arms  of  the  service. 
This  has  been  the  favorite  topic  among  the  men,  but  the  de- 
spondent humor  of  the  dark  days  has  prevented  its  recent  dis- 
cussion. The  recommencement  of  these  debates  proclaims  the 
return  of  their  former  good  spirits  to  some  of  the  party.1'  The 
character  of  these  debates  may  be  imagined  from  a  pertinent 
statement  of  Sergeant  Brainard,  who  said  that  "  no  argument 
of  any  topic  of  a  theoretical  character  appears  to  be  settled 
until  the  owner  of  the  strongest  pair  of  lungs  in  the  expedition 
is  discovered." 

December  31st,  "  The  month  appears  to  be  ending  with  very 
low  temperatures.  Yesterday  and  to-day  the  mercury  has  been 
frozen  the  greater  part  of  the  time." 

The  maximum  for  December  was  —10°  (—23.3°  C.)  on  the 
2d,  and  the  minimum  -52.2°  (-46.7°  C.)  on  the  24th.  The 
mean  of  —32.01°  (—35.6°  C.)  has  rarely  been  exceeded  in  De- 
cember. The  thickness  of  the  new  ice  was  found  to  be  thirty- 
four  inches,  an  increase  of  but  one  inch  during  the  month. 

The  last  day  of  the  year  came,  and,  as  at  Christmas,  the  re- 
strictions regarding  the  hour  for  retirement  were  set  aside,  and 
the  party  determined  to  wratch  the  Old  Year  out  and  the  Kew 
Year  in.  The  watch  was  enlivened  by  songs  until  midnight, 
being  followed  afterward  by  dancing  and  by  a  concert  from  a 
well-organized  calthumpian  band,  in  which  the  tinware  of  the 
expedition  played  an  important  part. 

The  spirits  of  the  party  were  by  no  means  dampened  through 
an  extra  allowance  of  alcoholic  liquors.  A  scrub-race  was  got 
up  between  Biederbick  and  Schneider  to  Dutch  Island  and  re- 
turn, a  distance  of  nearly  four  miles,  in  which  a  small  quantity 
of  rum  was  the  hard-earned  prize.  The  men  kept  up  their 

songs  and  amusements  until  three  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
12 


178  THKEE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

Later  in  the  day  Sergeants  Jewell  and  Lynn  visited  Mount 
Campbell  to  read  the  instruments,  but  were  unsuccessful  in 
finding  them,  having  taken  the  wrong  ravine  on  the  island.  An 
incident  in  connection  with  their  return  evidenced  the  great 
readiness  with  which,  under  certain  conditions,  sounds  are  heard 
in  Arctic  temperatures.  I  went  out  of  the  quarters  to  listen  if 
I  could  hear  them  coming,  and  from  the  sound  of  their  voices 
judged  them  to  be  within  a  short  half-mile  of  the  house.  Al- 
though my  extra  clothing  was  only  a  thin  jersey  and  a  light  pair 
of  mittens,  I  concluded  I  would  go  out  and  meet  them,  the  tem- 
perature standing  at  —28°  (—33.3°  C.).  To  my  surprise,  how- 
ever, I  walked  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  way  to  Bellot  Island 
before  meeting  them,  and  learned  on  inquiry  that  they  must 
have  been  on  the  hill  overlooking  Pound  Point,  and  at  least 
two  miles  from  the  house  when  I  first  heard  them. 

Of  the  day  my  journal  says :  "  Our  New  Year  opens  well.  It 
has  been  a  warm  day,  from  -10°  (-23.3°  C.)  to  -30°  (—34.4° 
C.),  with  a  touch  of  wind  not  at  all  comfortable.  I  delayed  the 
service  an  hour  this  morning  to  give  the  revellers  of  last  night 
an  opportunity  for  needed  rest.  It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to 
see  how  bright  and  cheery  the  men  were  last  evening.  Their 
good  spirits,  quiet  contentment,  and  increased  appetites  ensure 
us  against  scurvy  this  present  season.  Our  unbroken  numbers, 
excellent  health,  undiminished  courage  and  strength  are  sub- 
jects of  deep  thankfulness."  So,  in  health,  good-will  and 
comfort  began  our  New  Year  in  Grinnell  Land. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

WINTER     EVENTS. 

Christmas  holidays  over,  matters  reverted  to  the  usual 
routine,  and  anything  novel  or  unusual  was  recognized  as 
a  relief.  Sergeants  Brainard  and  Rice  on  January  3d  repeated 
the  trip  of  the  1st,  succeeded  in  finding  the  instruments  on 
Mount  Campbell,  and  made  the  following  report :  "  The  ex- 
posed thermometer  read,  at  4  P.M.,  —20°  (-28.9°  C.),  being  10° 
(5.6°  C.)  warmer  than  at  the  station  ;  maximum  temperature 
since  December  1st,  —13.5°  (—25.3°  C.) ;  minimum,  — 44.80 
(-42.7°  C.),  being  respectively  3.5°  (1.9°  C.)  lower  and  10.4° 
(5.8°  C.)  higher  than  here." 

Such  discrepancies  always  appeared  in  connection  with  these 
comparative  readings.  Nares  similarly  reported  temperatures 
on  Lookout  Hill  at  Floeberg  Beach,  four  hundred  and  eighty 
feet  high,  as  being  on  one  occasion  6°  (3.3°  C.),  and  on 
another  11°  (6.1°  C.),  warmer  than  at  the  ship.  Dr.  Moss 
at  the  same  place  found  the  temperature  some  3°  (1.7°  C.) 
warmer  at  the  masthead  than  on  the  floe.  The  cause  of  such 
differences  seems  readily  explained  by  assuming  it  to  be  radi- 
ation which  induces  the  extreme  temperatures  of  Grinnell  Land, 
and  as  the  low  temperatures  are  always  in  calm  weather,  the 
dense  cold  air  has  time  to  seek  the  lower  levels. 

If  the  early  days  of  January  came  to  us  with  faint  light,  they 
brought  sharp  cold.  The  mean  temperature  fell  in  two  days 
19°  (10.6°  C.),  from  -31.2°  (-35.1°  C,)  the  7th  to  -50.3° 


180  THKEE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

(—45.7°  C.)  on  the  9th,  and  the  day  following  the  minimum 
touched  -58.2°  (-50.1°  C.). 

Everything  being  in  readiness,  we  commenced  our  pendulum 
observations  on  January  6th.  During  this  work  regular  time 
observations  were  necessary  twice  daily,  and  the  severe  cold 
made  the  work  of  the  most  trying  character  to  our  astronomer, 
Sergeant  Israel.  He  made  the  observations  on  the  14th,  in 
temperatures  varying  from  -54°  (-47.8°  C.)  to  -56°  (-48.8° 
C.).  A  few  days  later,  being  exposed  for  a  long  time  to  a 
temperature  of  —48°  (—44.4°  C.)  in  the  open  observatory,  he 
froze  superficially  one  of  his  feet.  Apart  from  this  the  pen- 
dulum experiments,  though  tedious,  and  involving  exposure  and 
suffering,  were  most  fortunately  and  successfully  conducted. 

In  the  meantime  the  entire  quarters  had  been  made  as  com- 
fortable as  was  possible.  The  house  had  been  well  banked  up 
with  both  earth  and  snow,  and  all  cracks  in  the  men's  quarters 
had  been  papered  over  so  that  no  draughts  were  possible.  The 
men  had  constructed  shelves  over  their  bunks,  and  had  arranged 
curtains,  which  insured  a  certain  privacy  whenever  they  sought 
it.  In  the  officers'  room  such  shelves  and  conveniences  had 
been  erected  for  each  one  as  were  desired.  The  surgeon  had 
his  books,  instruments,  and  such  medicines  as  he  wished,  on 
shelves  constructed  in  his  corner. 

My  own  domain  of  eight  by  eight  was  in  general  thrown  into 
the  main  room,  but  heavy  curtains  were  so  arranged  that  at 
night,  or  whenever  I  desired  privacy,  they  could  be  drawn  so 
as  to  cut  off  my  corner  from  view.  Such  little  personal 
trappings  as  I  had  taken  with  me  were  arranged  to  the  best 
advantage.  On  shelves  near  me  were  placed  my  personal 
books  and  the  excellent  Arctic  library  we  were  favored  with. 
To  save  space,  my  bunk  was  built  on  the  top  of  an  ammuni- 
tion-chest, in  which  the  greater  part  of  my  clothing  was  packed. 


WINTER  EVENTS.  181 

A  small  desk,  a  rocking-chair,  and  some  private  carpeting  added 
much  to  my  comfort  as  I  daily  applied  myself  to  mental  work. 
The  ink  froze  nightly  at  my  head,  and  the  water  spilled  on 
carpet  or  floor  at  all  times  turned  to  ice,  but  as  a  compensation 
the  thermometer  by  day — if  day  there  be  without  the  sun- 
rose  to  90°  (38°  C.)  around  my  head.  Despite  these  and  other 
drawbacks,  it  was  a  comfortable  nook  to  me  in  that  time,  and 
it  will  always  abide  in  my  mind  with  pleasure,  as  a  place 
where  I  did  good  work  myself  and  planned  better  for  others. 

The  16th  of  January  was  a  day  we  long  remembered  at 
Conger.  My  journal  says :  "We  have  had  to-day  the  most 
violent  storm  I  have  ever  experienced,  except  a  hurricane  on  the 
summit  of  Mount  Washington."  The  barometer  commenced 
falling  .05  inch  hourly  at  7  A.M.,  with  calm,  cloudy  weather.  I 
watched  the  barometer  hourly,  the  fall  increasing  until  it 
reached  .10  inch  an  hour  at  11  A.M.,  with  a  southwest  wind  of 
eighteen  miles.  Observations  were  then  made  every  fifteen 
minutes.  An  hour  later  the  barometer  had  fallen  another  tenth 
of  an  inch,  and  the  wind,  which  had  suddenly  changed  to  the 
northeast,  attained  a  velocity  of  over  fifty  miles  an  hour.  The 
air  was  so  full  of  snow  that  I  ordered  the  temperature  observa- 
tion to  be  made  by  two  strong  men  together,  and  the  tide  read- 
ing by  two  others.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  they  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  instruments.  It  took  six  of  the  best  men  with 
ropes  to  make  the  1  P.M.  readings,  when  the  wind  was  blowing 
steadily  at  fifty-two  miles  from  the  northeast,  in  which  quarter 
it  remained.  At  2  P.M.  the  barometer  still  fell  with  the  same 
rapidity,  and  the  wind  had  attained  a  velocity  of  sixty-two  miles. 
It  was  quite  impossible  to  quit  the  house,  and  a  thermometer 
was  read  just  outside  the  southwest  door.  The  wind  was  then 
blowing  a  hurricane,  the  air  full  of  snow,  and  the  house  shook 
and  creaked  in  an  alarming  and  ominous  manner.  Every  instant 


182  THREE   YEARS   OP  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

I  expected  that  the  roof  would  be  twisted  or  torn  off,  and  the 
whole  building  blown  into  the  open  harbor.  Such  a  catastrophe 
would  have  left  us  in  desperate  straits,  and  would  probably  have 
proved  fatal  to  some  of  the  party.  The  violence  of  the  wind 
for  over  an  hour  kept  us  in  a  state  of  suspense  as  to  what  would 
be  our  fate. 

The  highest  registered  wind  was  at  2.15  P.M.,  northeast,  sixty- 
five  miles  per  hour,  but  about  2.40  P.M.  the  wind,  which  had 
been  blowing  steadily,  changed  into  violent  gusts,  which  prob- 
ably reached  eighty  or  ninety  miles  an  hour.  The  anemometer- 
spindle  broke  short  off,  and  the  cups  blew  several  miles  into  the 
harbor  before  they  caught  and  stopped.  At  3  P.M.  the  barometer 
was  at  29.028,  a  fall  of  over  half  an  inch  (.504)  in  five  hours. 
The  pressure  remained  nearly  steady  for  three  hours  longer, 
but  at  4  P.M.  the  wind  had  fallen  to  about  forty  miles,  and  ob- 
servations out  of  doors  were  again  renewed  with  some  danger 
and  difficulty.  If  our  buildings  had  not  been  well  banked  up 
with  earth  and  snow,  they  would  have  been  torn  to  pieces  be- 
yond a  doubt.  In  one  respect  this  storm  was  an  extraordinary 
one.  Payer,  in  commenting  on  a  statement  of  Hayes  of  a  storm 
at  —27°  (—32.8°  C.),  says  it  is  probably  a  typographical  error. 
The  general  principle  that  storms  do  not  occur  at  very  low  tem- 
peratures is  sound,  and  it  is  equally  obvious  that  during  storms 
the  temperature  rises  rapidly  and  that  observers  in  the  field 
overrate  the  velocity  of  cold,  cutting  winds.  The  wind  blowing 
fifty-two  miles  an  hour  in  this  storm,  at  a  temperature  of  —13° 
(25°  C.),  is  probably  unparalleled.  Other  remarkable  winds  at 
low  temperatures  occurred  January  23,  1882,  southeast,  thirty- 
four  miles  at  —25.2°  (-31.8°  C.),  and  March  6,  1882,  east, 
twenty-one  miles  at  —27.2°  (32.9°  C.). 

The  day  following  my  journal  says:  "Two  days  of  storm 
and  cloud  have  passed  since  the  noonday  twilight  has  been 


WINTER  EVENTS.  183 

seen,  and  now  our  eyes  note  a  perceptible  change.  The  southern 
sky  at  noon  gave  us  marked  assurances  of  the  returning  sun. 
Fine  bands  of  cirrus  clouds  on  the  southern  horizon  were  finely 
colored,  the  dark-crimson  streaks  of  warm  color  being  overlaid 
with  daffodil-yellows,  that  shaded  gradually  into  the  pearl- 
grays.  Though  there  has  been  during  the  winter  a  moderate 
amount  of  snow,  considering  the  low  temperature,  yet  the  hill- 
tops are  now  quite  bare  and  show  less  covering  than  in  October. 
Yesterday's  storm  lias  stripped  every  exposed  place  of  its  usual 
snow,  to  pack  it  in  dense,  hard  drifts  in  the  hollows  of  the 
ground  and  the  cracks  and  other  interstices  of  the  harbor-ice. 
For  the  first  time  during  our  experiences,  it  would  now  be  pos- 
sible to  cut  blocks  of  snow  and  build  a  snow-house.  The  snow 
in  these  low  temperatures  has  none  of  the  soft,  fleecy  appear- 
ance seen  in  lower  latitudes.  Each  flake,  hard  and  separate  as 
an  atom  of  sand,  only  unites  to  its  neighbor  under  stress  of  force 
and  pressure.  It  is  the  snow  of  our  western  prairies,  only  in  a 
more  aggravated  form,  which  there,  filling  a  railway  cutting, 
resists  so  successfully  all  efforts  of  trains  or  snow-ploughs  to 
force  a  passage." 

In  nearly  a  month  prior  to  the  storm,  only  two  faint  displays 
of  aurora  were  noted,  but  in  the  week  following  it  occurred  on 
four  days.  In  the  display  of  January  19th  there  was  a  beauti- 
ful auroral  arch  from  horizon  to  horizon  in  the  magnetic  merid- 
ian, during  the  presence  of  which  the  needle  was  greatly 
disturbed,  swinging  repeatedly  off  the  scale.  The  aurora  of 
January  21st  was  wonderful  beyond  description,  and  I  have  no 
words  in  which  to  convey  any  adequate  idea  of  the  beauty  and 
splendor  of  the  scene.  It  was  a  continuous  change  from  arch 
to  streamers,  from  streamers  to  patches  and  ribbons,  and  back 
again  to  arches,  which  covered  the  entire  heavens  for  part  of 
the  time.  It  lasted  for  about  twenty-two  hours,  during  which 


184  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

at  no  moment  was  the  phenomena  other  than  vivid  and  remark- 
able. At  one  time  there  were  three  perfect  arches,  which 
spanned  the  southwestern  sky  from  horizon  to  horizon.  The 
most  striking  and  exact  simile,  perhaps,  would  be  to  liken  it  to 
a  conflagration  of  surrounding  forests  as  seen  at  night  from 
a  cleared  or  open  space  in  their  centre.  During  the  dis- 
play Sergeant  Rice  exposed  a  sensitive  dry  photographic  plate 
toward  the  aurora  without  any  effect,  but  the  experiment  was 
a  doubtful  one  from  the  shifting  of  the  light.  In  general,  the 
aurora  was  quite  colorless,  though  occasionally  red  tints  were 
reported.  Despite  the  remarkable  duration  and  extent  of  the 
aurora,  the  magnet  was  but  slightly  disturbed.  During  the  dis- 
play the  new  moon  appeared,  a  narrow  crescent  which,  strange 
to  sav,  was  exactly  the  color  of  blood. 

V     '  V 

Sir  George  Kares  remarks  that,  "  contrary  to  the  popular  be- 
lief, the  aurora  gives  us  no  appreciable  light."  In  our  experi- 
ence the  light  was  considerable  on  several  occasions,  and  in  this 
case  I  saw  my  shadow  cast,  at  a  time  when  the  brilliant  display 
was  in  one  quarter  of  the  heavens  only.  Tromholt  says  on  this 
point :  "  The  very  greatest  amount  of  light  which  the  aurora 
borealis  emitted,  or  which,  in  any  case,  I  was  able  to  ascertain 
during  my  entire  sojourn  in  Lapland,  may  be  compared  to  that 
of  the  moon  two  days  and  a  half  after  full,  when  25°  above  the 
horizon  and  the  sky  is  clear." 

On  the  23d,  print,  such  as  is  used  for  leaders,  could  be  read 
with  some  difficulty  at  noon.  This  test,  however,  was  not  a 
satisfactory  one,  owing  partly  to  the  presence  of  the  moon,  but 
more  to  the  remarkably  varying  capacity  of  eyes  for  this  work. 
A  brilliant  meteor  was  observed  in  the  north  about  7.35  A.M., 
which  burst  into  fragments,  all  colorless  except  one,  which  was  a 
brilliant  red.  Ko  detonation  was  heard. 

On   January   29th   Lieutenant   Ivislingbury   gave   us   much 


WINTER   EVENTS.  185 

anxiety  by  a  visit  to  Cape  Murchison,  during  which  he  was  ab- 
sent for  over  seven  hours,  in  temperature  ranging  from  —45° 
(-42.8°  C.)  to  -54°  (-47.8°  C.).  Owing  to  a  previous  alarm 
on  account  of  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  I  had  requested  him  to 
note  the  time  of  his  departure,  and  the  intended  direction  of  his 
travel,  when  leaving  the  house,  so  as  to  insure  his  being  found 
in  case  of  any  accident.  About  4  P.M.  Dr.  Pavy  entered  the 
station  considerably  excited,  saying  he  had  been  to  Water-course 
Bay  following  the  tracks  of  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  who  had 
evidently  gone  to  Cape  Murchison,  and  that,  as  a  light  breeze 
was  blowing  in  the  outer  harbor,  he  thought  the  journey  dan- 
gerous. Lieutenant  Kislingbury 's  record  stated  that  he  had  left 
at  10.30  A.M.  "  for  Dutch  Island  and  perhaps  Distant  Cape." 
At  5  P.M.,  as  nothing  could  be  seen  of  him,  the  dog-team  was 
harnessed,  and  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later  Dr.  Pavy,  with 
Sergeant  Brainard  and  Eskimo  Christiansen,  started  out.  They 
met  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  about  two  miles  from  Dutch  Island, 
suffering  somewhat  from  the  trip.  He  reached  the  station  at  6 
P.M.  Of  course,  being  warmly  clad,  he  was  safe,  unless  some  ac- 
cident occurred  or  a  wind  sprang  up,  when  he  must  have  neces- 
sarily suffered  from  the  exposure.  As  no  object  was  gained  by 
this  trip  of  twenty-five  miles  in  Arctic  darkness,  I  requested 
that  such  a  long  absence  should  not  be  repeated  until  the  return 
of  the  sun.  The  road  was  found  to  be  in  excellent  condition, 
and  wolf  and  fox  tracks  were  observed.  It  eventually  trans- 
pired that  Lieutenant  Kislingbury's  nose  was  frozen  during  the 
trip,  caused,  as  he  said,  by  riding  on  the  sledge  after  it 
reached  him. 

January  31st :  "  The  presence  of  a  musky  piece  of  beef  to-day 
gave  rise  to  general  discussion  as  to  the  causes  of  this  flavor 
to  our  meat.  Such  pieces  are  found  but  occasionally,  and  the 
history  of  them  has  been  looked  into.  The  weight  of  evidence 


186  THREE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

favors  the  belief  that  immediate  dressing  of  the  animal  obviates 
the  difficulty."  An  example  the  following  summer  seemed  to 
bear  out  this  opinion:  An  old  bull  was  killed,  which,  when 
running,  was  said  to  have  exhaled  such  an  odor  of  musk  that  it 
was  perceptible  at  a  distance  of  several  hundred  yards.  It  was 
naturally  supposed,  though  he  was  immediately  dressed,  that 
the  meat  could  not  be  eaten.  To  avoid  prejudice,  I  had  a  quar- 
ter served  without  the  knowledge  of  any  one  except  Sergeant 
Brainard,  and  the  meat  proved  free  from  taint  or  musky  flavor. 

Though  the  glory  of  the  sun  had  gone,  with  its  wealth  of  color 
in  halos  and  sunsets,  yet  my  journal  shows  that  there  are  other 
beauties  in  an  Arctic  winter  than  the  auroras.  Of  the  many 
beautiful  coronas  and  paraselenes,  a  few  will  illustrate  all.  A 
very  beautiful  corona,  6°  in  diameter,  was  seen  the  evening  of 
the  30th.  It  consisted  of  four  concentric  circles  around  the 
moon,  the  inner  white,  the  second  yellow,  the  third  blue,  and 
the  outer  red. 

On  February  1st  a  lunar  halo  of  90°  was  reported,  but  it  had 
disappeared  by  the  time  I  was  able  to  leave  my  bed,  and  I 
found  two  halos  of  22°  and  46°  respectively,  which  were  of 
exceptional  brilliancy  and  splendor.  In  the  evening  of  that 
day  a  most  remarkable  lunar  halo  was  visible,  the  moon  at  the 
time  being  about  25°  above  the  horizon.  The  circles  of  22° 
and  46°  were  perfect  to  the  horizon,  and  were  both  tipped  with 
contact  arches.  Six  mock-moons  were  present,,  two  on  either 
side  of  the  true  moon,  and  two  above  it,  all  of  which  showed 
brilliant  prismatic  colors,  very  like  the  clear,  distinct  colors  seen 
in  rainbows.  Spears  of  light  extended  from  the  moon  verti- 
cally, reaching  downward  to  the  horizon  and  upward  to  the 
outer  circle.  In  addition,  a  narrow  streak  of  clear,  white  light 
extended  from  the  moon  horizontally  on  both  sides  completely 
around  the  entire  horizon,  at  an  altitude  of  25°  the  same  as 


WINTER  EVENTS. 


187 


that  of  the  moon  itself.  At  times  a  faint  mock-moon  without 
rainbow  colors  was  to  be  seen  90°  distant  from  the  moon,  being 
in  the  north,  while  the  moon  itself  was  in  the  east,  and  a  second 
faint  one  under  the  moon,  so  that  eight  mock-moons  were  visi- 
ble at  one  time.  The  phenomena,  while  more  marked  and  of 
longer  continuance,  was  said  to  be  of  the  same  character  as  that 


Lunar  Halo  at  Fort  Conger,  February  I,   1882. 


noted  in  the  early  morning.  The  display  lasted  for  over  an 
hour,  the  number  of  moons  varying  during  the  time. 

The  halo  was  preceded  by  an  aurora,  which  was  unaccom- 
panied by  magnetic  disturbances. 

At  local  noon  of  February  2d,  the  thermometer  on  the  south 
side  of  the  tide-house  was  read  without  a  lantern.  The  spirit 
thermometer  on  the  floe,  at  5.30  P.M.  the  same  day,  read  cor- 
rected —  64.8°  (—53.8°  C.).  Regarding  extremely  low  tempera- 
tures, I  express  my  opinion  that  below  —60°  (51.1°  C.)  all 


188  THREE  YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

readings  from  alcohol  thermometers  must  be  viewed  with  sus- 
picion unless  the  alcohol  used  is  known  positively  to  be  pure. 
By  my  observations  it  was  found  that  three  parts  pure  alcohol 
to  one  of  water,  deposited  substances  the  color  and  consistency 
of  lard.  At  a  temperature  of  —60.4°  (—51.3°  C.),  four  parts 
of  alcohol  to  one  of  water,  assumed  the  consistency  of  a  light 
syrup,  although  unchanged  in  color.  This  would  indicate  that, 
say  at  —80°  or  —90°,  pure  alcohol  might  deposit  a  sediment. 

The  following  interesting  experiments  were  made  as  to  the 
effect  of  low  temperatures  on  various  liquids :  On  February  3d, 
alcohol,  chloroform,  brandy,  glycerine,  ether,  nitric  acid,  and 
spirits  of  turpentine,  all  from  standard  preparations  of  the 
United  States  Medical  Department,  were  exposed  at  a  tempera- 
ture of  — 55°.  The  brandy  froze  solid  in  less  than  an  hour, 
and  the  nitric  acid,  beginning  to  crystallize,  formed  into  a  solid 
substance  resembling  lard,  although  the  temperature  rose  to 
—4:7°.  On  the  14th  of  February,  in  a  temperature  of  —59.4°, 
the  spirits  of  turpentine  showed  a  slight  solid  sediment,  while 
the  main  portion  of  the  liquid  appeared  viscous.  Muriatic  acid 
remained  unchanged.  Sulphuric  ether  exhibited  small  crystals 
suspended  midway  in  the  liquid,  and  a  deposit  resembling 
gum  camphor  partly  dissolved.  The  chloroform  showed  small 
spiculse  in  suspension  near  the  bottom.  Concentrated  English 
rum  assumed  the  consistency  of  a  light  syrup,  but  otherwise 
remained  unchanged. 

On  the  last-named  date,  medical  alcohol  and  fuel  alcohol  (the 
latter  near  proof)  were  exposed  at  a  temperature  of  —55°  with- 
out undergoing  change.  At  the  same  time  three  parts  of  medi- 
cal alcohol  to  one  of  water  were  exposed  in  one  vessel,  and  four 
parts  of  alcohol  to  one  of  water  were  exposed  in  another.  In 
a  few  hours,  at  a  steady  temperature  of  —55°,  the  first  mixture 
showed  a  deposit  resembling  soft  lard  in  color  and  consistency, 


WINTER  EVENTS.  189 

while  the  latter  remained  unchanged  to  the  eye,  but  had  appar- 
ently thickened.  The  following  morning,  a  temperature  of 
—  60.4°  having  been  experienced,  the  latter  liquid  had  visibly 
thickened,  although  no  deposit  took  place.  The  pure  alcohol 
remained  seemingly  unchanged. 

During  this  extreme  cold  weather  I  observed  closely  our 
Eskimo  dogs,  expecting  to  see  signs  of  great  suffering  from 
cold  among  them.  The  only  manner  in  which  a  calm  cold  was 
ever  seen  to  affect  them  was  in  causing  them  at  times  to  lift 
first  one  foot  and  then  another  from  the  bare  ground  as  though 
it  burned  them.  A  tent  was  erected  for  them,  and  later  the 
surgeon  had  some  snow-huts  excavated,  but  they  never  entered 
the  latter,  and  only  sought  the  shelter  of  the  first  during  severe 
wind- storms.  One  occasionally  crept  into  a  closed-up  tent,  where 
blankets  or  clothing  could  be  found. 

The  favorite  sleeping-place  was  the  freshly  strewn  ashes,  and 
many  strove  for  the  top  of  the  ash-barrel,  which  afforded  room 
for  but  one.  Often  have  I  seen  a  dog  tempted  to  leave  the 
barrel  in  order  to  attack  a  rival,  only  to  return  with  a  crestfallen 
look  to  find  his  place  occupied. 

Sometimes  failing  to  dislodge  a  comrade  comfortably  en- 
sconced on  the  coveted  barrel,  a  dog  jumped  on  top  of  the  first 
comer  and  curled  himself  up  contentedly.  The  under  dog  knew 
by  bitter  experience  that  to  quarrel  was  to  lose  his  bed,  and 
remained  until  worn  out  by  the  weight  of  his  rival.  Others 
sought  that  portion  of  the  coal  pile  which  was  free  from  snow. 
Unless  they  had  litters,  but  one  or  two  of  the  dogs  would  ever 
sleep  under  cover,  and  such  as  did  so  were  put  in  Coventry  and 
harshly  treated  by  the  remainder  of  the  pack. 

Sergeant  Gardiner,  much  to  our  gratification,  returned  to  duty 
early  in  February,  and  once  again  the  party  of  twenty-five  were 
all  for  active  duty.  The  broken  bone  had  united  slowly, 


190  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

but  yet  much  quicker  and  better  than  the  surgeon  anticipated. 
The  continuous  absence  of  sunlight,  the  lack  of  exercise,  and 
unvarying  monotony  of  life  are  all  against  an  invalid  in  the 
Arctic  regions,  but  Gardiner's  spirits  never  failed  him. 

Some  experiments  were  made  at  this  time  regarding  the 
freezing  of  sea-water,  which,  at  a  temperature  of  28.9°  (—1.7° 
C.),  was  placed  in  a  barrel  banked  with  snow,  the  temperature 
of  which  was  about  —40°  (—40°  C.).  On  the  day  following  the 
water  was  examined,  and  ice  was  found  to  have  formed  exactly 
six  inches  thick  on  the  top,  in  a  mean  temperature  of  —48.7° 
(—44.8°  C.).  My  journal  says:  "This  result  is  at  variance 
with  Payer's  statement,  that  he  has  seen  the  open  sea  freeze  at 
a  similar  temperature  twelve  inches  in  a  day."  Subsequently 
ice  formed  over  the  remaining  sea-water,  from  which  the  cover- 
ing of  ice  had  been  removed  the  previous  day,  to  the  thickness 
of  5.7  inches  in  twenty-four  hours,  at  a  mean  temperature  of 
-47.8°  (-44.3°  C.). 

February  3d,  though  not  the  coldest  day,  was  that  on  which 
the  lowest  temperature  of  the  season  occurred.  The  mean  tem- 
perature was  -52.9°  (-48.2°  C.),  with  a  maximum  of  -44.1° 
(42.3°  C.)  and  a  minimum  of  -62.2°  (52.3°  C.).  On  the  harbor- 
floe  a  substandard,  which,  under  similar  conditions,  read  with 
the  thermometer  in  the  shelter,  recorded  —63.1°  (—52.8°  C.), 
or  0.9°  (0.5°  C.)  below  the  regular  instrument. 

The  protective  influence  of  a  snow-hut  was  shown  by  the  fact 
that  on  February  5th,  after  a  mean  temperature  below  —50° 
(—45.6°  C.)  for  five  consecutive  days,  the  thermometer  inside 
the  tide-house  read  —17°  (—27.2°  C.),  which  was  the  lowest 
touched  since  a  door  had  been  put  on  the  snow-house. 

February  6th  my  journal  says :  "  The  southern  sky  at  local 
noon  to-day  was  filled  with  colors  of  the  most  exquisite  loveli- 
ness, a  rich,  deep  red  shading  into  a  remarkable  purple.''  Feb- 


WINTER  EVENTS.  191 

ruary  6th  was  the  coldest  day ;  the  mean  temperature  being 
—53.8°  (—47.7°  C.),  although  the  minimum  did  not  touch  -60° 
(—56°  C.).  This  unusually  cold  weather  was  noted  in  connec- 
tion with  the  greatest  atmospheric  pressure  recorded  to  that 
time.  The  barometer  touched  30.613  during  the  day.  Despite 
the  remarkably  low  temperature,  Sergeant  Brainard  was  hunting 
for  nearly  two  hours  and  saw  many  hare-tracks. 

Jens  and  Frederik  hunted  on  the  following  day,  seeing  hare- 
tracks  but  no  game.  Our  first  spring  animal,  a  wolf,  was  seen 
by  Sergeant  Rice  on  the  10th,  near  Proteus  Point.  Jens 
hunted  assiduously,  but  saw  no  animals  until  the  15th,  when  he 
succeeded  in  killing  a  hare,  the  first  game  of  the  season.  We 
were  surprised  by  its  weight,  which  was  eleven  pounds  gross 
and  six  when  dressed.  Its  excellent  condition  showed  that, 
despite  the  severity  of  the  weather,  it  had  found  sufficient  and 
satisfactory  food,  principally  buds  of  the  Saxifraga  oppositifolia. 
The  animal  was  densely  furred,  the  long  hairs  being  filled  in 
near  the  body  with  a  remarkably  fine  down-like  hair.  It  was 
entirely  white,  except  a  few  black  hairs  at  the  very  tips  of  its 
ears. 

On  the  following  day  Frederik  and  Jens  each  shot  another 
of  about  the  same  weight  as  the  first  killed.  This  game  was 
welcome  as  a  guarantee  for  the  future,  but  the  meat  was  not 
vitally  necessary,  as  on  February  17th  we  had  about  twenty- 
three  hundred  pounds  of  musk-meat  and  two  hundred  guille- 
mots still  on  hand  at  the  station,  besides  two  musk-cattle  cached 
in  Water-course  Bay. 

February  16th,  at  midday,  the  southern  horizon  showed  a 
bar  of  gold  resting  on  the  Greenland  hills,  above  which  the  sky 
was  faintly  tinged  with  a  Kile-green  color,  which  shaded  toward 
the  clear  heavens  of  the  zenith  into  a  delicate  bright  blue.  By 
contrast  the  northern  horizon,  entirely  clear  of  clouds,  appeared 


192  THREE   YEAKS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

of  a  distinctive  dark  blue,  which  was  almost  black  in  its  in- 
tensity. As  the  day  was  so  clear,  I  sent  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
and  party  to  read  the  instruments  on  Bellot  Island,  and  busied 
myself  in  sound  experiments  at  —61.1°  (—  51.7°  C.).  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood  and  men  were  gone  about  five  hours,  but 
escaped  any  frost-bites,  notwithstanding  the  very  low  tempera- 
ture. He  complained  much  of  the  many  falls  from  lack  of 
shadows,  which  prevented  them  from  travelling  rapidly,  as 
without  such  aid  hollow  and  hill  are  alike  to  the  eye. 

The  most  marked  instance  of  deception  from  this  cause  oc- 
curred in  the  experience  of  Lieutenants  Rawson  and  Egerton, 
R.N.,  with  a  dog-team,  when  the  dogs,  unable  to  detect  in- 
equalities in  the  ice,  ran  directly  over  a  precipitous  floe  and  fell 
eight  feet,  the  animals  evidently  thinking  the  floe  to  be  entirely 
level. 

At  10  P.M.,  February  16th,  the  mercurial  thermometers 
thawed  out,  after  having  been  frozen  continuously  for  sixteen 
days  and  five  hours.  This  is  the  longest  time  on  record  during 
which  mercury  has  remained  frozen.  The  Alert,  in  1876,  ex- 
perienced a  similar  spell  of  cold,  during  which  the  mercury  was 
solid  for  twelve  continuous  days.  The  longest  period  of  similar 
temperatures  by  Kane's,  record  is  but  five  days. 

Sergeant  Rice,  hunting  on  the  20th,  shot  at  a  hare,  but  did 
not  obtain  him.  He  reported  that  the  hare  travelled  for  a  hun- 
dred or  more  yards  at  a  time  by  jumping  on  its  hind  legs,  for 
distances  of  six  to  eight  feet,  never  touching  the  ground  with 
the  forepaws.  He  said  he  thought  it  at  first  an  optical  illusion, 
but  the  tracks  confirmed  his  eyesight,  showing  the  hind  feet 
only  to  have  touched  the  snow. 

The  measurement  of  the  sea-ice  on  February  21st  showed  a 
thickness  of  fifty-two  and  a  half  inches,  an  increase  of  eight 
inches  in  ten  days,  in  a  mean  temperature  of  —48.5°  (—44.7°  C.). 


WINTER    EVENTS.  193 

Tins  is  an  unusually  large  increase,  probably  the  largest  on  rec- 
ord, considering  the  previous  thickness  of  the  ice. 

"Washington's  birthday  was  celebrated  by  an  elaborate  dinner 
and  by  races  and  shooting-matches.  The  snow-shoe  walk  was 
won  by  Biederbick,  and  rifle-shooting  at  a  hundred  yards  by 
Private  Long.  The  return  of  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  party 
from  his  successful  trip  to  Cape  Beechy  added  to  the  zest  of 
our  celebration.  The  temperature  remained  steady  at  — 44° 
(—42.°  C.)  during  the  day,  which  hardly  encouraged  out-of- 
door  sports. 

The  day  following  Sergeant  Elison  and  Private  Whisler  were 
sent  to  Depot  "  A "  (Cape  Murchison)  with  dog-sledge,  to  re- 
pitch  the  tent  and  to  put  it  in  good  condition  for  future  travel- 
lers. Dr.  Pavy  also  accompanied  them,  and,  while  they  were  at 
work  pitching  the  tent,  carried  a  small  load  of  pemmican  and 
alcohol  to  the  north  side  of  St.  Patrick  Bay. 

A  minimum  thermometer  was  exposed  at  Cape  Murchison 
near  the  tent,  with  a  view  to  its  being  read  by  all  visiting  parties. 
On  the  same  day  Sergeant  Linn,  Connell,  and  Biederbick  vis- 
ited the  mine  and  got  out  some  five  tons  of  coal,  and  hauled 
about  five  hundred  pounds  on  a  Hudson  Bay  sledge  to  the  edge 
of  the  ice-foot  in  Water-course  Bay. 

A  checker  tournament  was  commenced  early  in  the  month, 
and  after  a  long  contest,  which  created  a  pleasurable  and  healthy 
excitement,  terminated  on  the  24th,  the  prizes  being  won  by 
Jewell,  Whisler,  and  Elison. 

Lieutenant  Kislingbury  visited  the  summit  of  Mount  Camp- 
bell on  the  25th,  and  reported  that  from  all  appearances  the 
storm  of  January  16th  must  have  been  the  most  severe  at  that 
point  for  the  previous  six  years.  The  cairn  erected  by  the 
English  expedition  in  1876  was  blown  over,  and  the  spar  sur- 
mounted by  the  iron  pipe  was  broken  short  off.  From  Lieu- 
13 


194  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

tenant  Kislingbury's  account,  the  spar  and  cairn  had  been  lifted 
by  the  wind  and  carried  five  hundred  yards,  where  wedging 
between  two  rocks  they  were  caught  fast. 

Hunting  during  the  latter  part  of  the  month  was  assiduously 
pursued  with  no  results.  Unfortunately  two  of  the  hares,  which 
had  been  hung  up,  as  it  was  supposed  out  of  reach  of  the  dogs, 
disappeared.  Suspicion  naturally  rested  on  two  dogs,  who 
accepted  their  food  from  the  cooks  in  a  nonchalant  manner, 
which  is  quite  unusual  with  these  animals.  This  was  the  first 
meat  thus  lost. 

February  25th:  "The  cold  weather  just  passed  has  been 
remarkable  for  its  duration  as  well  as  its  severity,  the  mean 
temperature  for  thirty-five  days,  January  20th  to  February  24th 
inclusive,  has  been  —47.1°  (—43.9°  C.).  During  this  time  the 
mercury  had  been  frozen  solid  except  for  sixty-seven  hours. 
On  fifteen  other  hours  the  temperature  was  but  a  fraction  of  a 
degree  above  the  melting  point  of  mercury,  but  did  not  con- 
tinue there  sufficiently  long  to  thaw  the  thermometer.  The 
mercury  remained  solid  for  sixteen  days  and  five  hours  con- 
tinuously. Until  10  P.M.  of  the  16th  the  highest  temperature 
in  February  was  —43.3°  (—41.8°  C.)  ;  the  mean  of  these  six- 
teen days  was  —52.3°  (—46.8°  C.).  The  mean  for  the  same 
time  of  the  thermometers  exposed  at  the  tide-hole  was  —54.6° 
(—48.1°  C.),  showing  that  the  air  on  the  floe  was  about 
2.3°  (1.3°  C.)  lower  than  that  in  the  instrument-shelter,  where 
the  thermometers  were  at  a  level  of  forty  feet  above  the 
sea." 

While  hunting,  on  the  25th,  Sergeant  Brainard  found  several 
cross  sections  of  a  petrified  tree  near  the  station  and  about  nine 
hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  The  several  sections  varied  from 
five  to  eleven  inches  in  diameter,  of  which  the  longest,  on  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  was  eighteen  inches.  A  few  sections 


i! 

:  i 

w     « 
O     e 

0     | 
o 


WINTER   EVENTS.  195 

projected  from  the  ground  a  foot  or  two.  Fragments  were 
strewn  around,  but  no  limbs  or  knots  were  observed. 

Sergeant  Brainard,  referring  to  the  greenish-yellow  tint  which 
had  come  to  all  our  faces,  and  which  the  near  approach  of  the 
sun  rendered  very  noticeable,  says :  "  A  few  of  our  vainest  men 
were  observing  themselves  in  a  mirror  by  the  noonday  light- 
Much  to  their  gratification  their  pallor  gave  a  delicate  appear- 
ance quite  unusual  to  their  smoke-begrimed  countenances  in 
quarters." 

Our  last  day  of  winter  came,  and  with  it  the  long  expected 
return  of  the  sun.  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and  Private  Whisler 
climbed  Bellot  Island  and  saw  the  whole  disk,  but  the  rest  of 
the  party,  as  the  temperature  was  —46.6°  (—43.7°  C.),  were 
content  with  a  view  of  the  upper  limb  from  the  station.  Light 
clouds  veiled  its  coming  as  well  as  its  departure,  and  no  shadows 
were  cast,  but  we  could  see  that  it  was  there.  The  scene  was 
neither  impressive  nor  magnificent,  yet  I  think  all  our  hearts 
re-echoed  that  exclamation  of  "  blessed  sun  "  from  the  poor 
Italian  of  Payer's  expedition,  while  thanking  God  that  to  us  in 
health  and  strength  the  sun  had  reappeared,  and  our  first  Arctic 
winter  had  ended. 


Hudson  Bay  Sledge  Pattern.     Relief  Expedition,   1884. 


CHAPTEK   XVII. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR    SLEDGING. 

A  CTIVE  preparations  for  spring  sledging  were  commenced 
"^^  early  in  February,  and  by  the  middle  of  the  month  the 
main  quarters  had  been  turned  into  a  great  workshop  for  our 
saddler,  tinman,  and  carpenters.  Sledges,  boat,  cooking-lamps 
and  utensils,  sleeping-bags,  foot-gear,  etc.,  were  in  process  of 
invention,  manufacture,  or  repair. 

These  preparations  entailed  great  circumspection  and  fore- 
thought before  they  were  finally  completed.  To  send  out  a 
sledge  party  for  a  long  Arctic  journey  demands  that  careful 
planning  and  thorough  outfitting  which  can  be  successfully  done 
only  after  a  certain  amount  of  field  experiences,  supplemented 
by  thoughtful  consideration  of  the  difficulties  to  be  met  with 
and  as  to  the  means  best  adapted  to  overcome  them.  Indeed, 
not  only  the  success,  but  the  very  safety  of  a  party  may  be  put 
in  jeopardy  by  the  neglect  of  seemingly  trifling  matters.  The 
dangers  which  may  arise  from  the  dampening  of  matches  was 
illustrated  in  the  experience  of  one  of  our  parties  in  the  early 
spring  days,  and  the  leaking  or  loss  of  the  alcohol-lamp  or  can 
in  the  field  would  prove  a  dangerous  if  not  a  fatal  circumstance. 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   SLEDGING.  197 

The  lamps,  if  not  properly  made,  increase  largely  the  chances  of 
destroying  the  tent  by  fire,  even  if  they  escape  exploding  to  the 
great  danger  of  the  party. 

Sir  Edward  Belcher,  in  his  first  trip,  lost  an  entire  day's  ration 
of  alcohol,  and  endangered  the  tent  by  the  use  of  a  soldered 
cooking-lamp,  from  which  the  filling-tube  fell  off  the  first  time 
the  lamp  was  lighted.  These  and  other  similar  defects  are  such 
as  can  be  provided  against  by  care  and  forethought. 

The  success  of  any  sledging  party  depends  almost  entirely 
on  two  important  points  :  First,  the  adaptability  and  the  state 
of  perfection  of  the  "entire  travelling-gear  ;  second,  the  ability 
of  the  chief  to  reduce  the  constant  weights*  to  a  minimum, 
while  retaining  everything  absolutely  essential  to  the  mainten- 
ance of  perfect  health  and  the  performance  of  satisfactory 
scientific  work. 

The  retreat  of  Franklin's  expedition  proved  fatal  through 
these  principles  being  neglected,  and,  indeed,  the  lack  of  success 
in  most  cases  can  be  traced,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  a  failure 
to  fulfil  these  conditions. 

It  had  been  my  original  intention  that  the  greater  part  of 
the  work  of  exploration  should  be  done  with  dogs,  of  which 
three  full  teams  had  been  purchased  in  Greenland.  Of  twenty- 
seven  dogs  purchased  at  the  Danish  ports,  only  twelve  were 
living  at  the  end  of  1881.  All  the  teams  had  been  attacked 
by  disease  introduced  by  the  dogs  sold  to  me  by  the  governor 
of  Upernivik,  from  which  sickness  the  greater  part  perished. 
Fortunately  there  were  three  private  dogs  in  the  expedition, 
one  of  which  belonged  to  Dr.  Pavy  and  two  had  been  given 
to  me  personally.  This  enabled  me  to  put  into  the  field  two 
teams  of  seven  dogs  each,  to  which  Dr.  Pavy  added  to  his 

*  Constant  weights  are  those  hauled  from  beginning  to  end,  such  as  tent- 
age,  sledges,  instruments,  cooking  and  other  gear. 


198  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  ' 

own  team  his  private  dog.  Careful  attention  had  resulted  in 
the  saving  of  nine  of  the  puppies  born  the  previous  November, 
but  their  use  in  the  field  that  spring  was  quite  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, though  I  counted,  and  properly,  on  making  them  useful 
later  in  the  season.  This  loss  of  dogs  caused  me  to  modify 
my  original  plans,  in  which  I  had  intended  that  the  support- 
ing sledges,  drawn  by  men,  should  never  be  absent  from  the 
station  for  more  than  a  week. 

The  question  of  sledges  was  an  important  and  difficult  one 
to  settle.  The  McClintock  sledge,  which  was  so  strongly  en- 
dorsed by  Payer  and  the  English  expedition  of  1875,  was  viewed 
by  me  distrustfully,  owing  to  its  partial  failure  with  the  latter 
expedition,  which  used  it  entirely.  Although  the  enduring 
powers  and  strength  of  my  men  were  remarkable,  yet  it  could 
not  be  expected  that,  as  a  whole,  they  should  be  as  strong  as  the 
men  of  1875,  who  were  selected  from  the  whole  of  the  royal 
navy.  When  their  picked  crews  had  failed,  I  could  not  expect 
to  succeed  if  I  followed  the  same  methods. 

The  Hudson  Bay  sledges  had  been  strongly  recommended 
by  Dr.  Rae,  and  I  finally  decided  to  use  that  pattern  for  my 
supporting  sledges  on  the  North  Greenland  coast,  particularly 
as  Lieutenant  Beaumont's  experience  showed  the  existence  of 
deep,  soft  snow,  in  which  the  McClintock  sledge  would  be  sub- 
stantially useless.  In  consequence  four  Hudson  Bay  sledges 
were  made,  which  were  shod  with  a  light  strip  of  ash  fastened 
to  the  bottom  at  either  side  so  as  to  serve  in  a  measure  for  run- 
ners. In  one  sledge  the  strip  of  ash  was  shod  with  steel,  but 
as  its  use  seemed  to  indicate  that  the  increased  friction  made 
shoeing  a  disadvantage,  I  unfortunately  abandoned  my  orig- 
inal idea,  and  sent  out  the  remaining  sledges  shod  only  with 
wood.  I  should  have  remembered  that  Back's  voyageurs  hauled 
only  a  hundred  pounds  on  their  sledge,  yet  the  rough  travel 


PREPARATIONS   FOR  SLEDGING.  199 

wore  out  the  runners,  and  the  sledges  were  nearly  broken  up  till 
he  shod  them  with  steel. 

To  future  explorers  in  high  latitudes,  I  recommend  Hunt's 
pattern  of  the  St.  Michael's  sledge  as  made  for  the  Relief  Ex- 
pedition, 1884,  with  the  important  addition  of  steel  runners, 
which  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  be  attached  or  detached  at 
pleasure ;  an  extra  runner  both  steel  and  wooden  to  be  carried 
on  long  journeys.  This  with  the  Greenland  sledge  would  ful- 
fil any  ordinary  field  conditions,  but  when  a  retreat  is  contem- 
plated or  boats  are  to  be  hauled,  the  Melville  sledge  should 
replace  the  McClintock,  of  which  it  is  an  improvement. 


Hunt's  St.  Michael  Sledge.     Relief  Expedition,   1884. 

These  Hudson  Bay  sledges,  with  lashings  and  coverings  com- 
plete, each  weighing  about  thirty-five  pounds,  entailed  less 
weight  upon  the  men  than  would  the  McClintock.  In  addition, 
the  sledge  would  wear  out  and  not  break,  while  the  McClintock 
sledge,  with  its  mortised  stanchions  and  tight  rivets,  is  a  struc- 
ture that  cannot  remain  long  unbroken  after  its  rigid  frame 
is  subjected  to  the  violent  shocks  consequent  on  travel  over 
very  rough  ice. 

They  possessed  this  further  advantage,  that  as  four  Hud- 
son Bay  sledges  replaced  one  McClintock  sledge,  whenever  the 
food  consumed  or  placed  in  caches  reduced  the  weights  of  the 
party  to  any  considerable  extent,  the  constant  weights  would 


200 


THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 


be  regularly  decreased  by  abandoning  a  sledge  as  soon  as  its 
load  could  be  divided  between  the  remaining  sledges.  In  this 
way  it  seemed  possible  to  materially  reduce  the  dead  weight  to 
be  hauled  as  the  party  proceeded,  a  condition  essential  to 
marked  success,  as  the  strength  of  all  sledge  parties  must 
necessarily  diminish  as  they  advance.  At  the  farthest  point 
reached,  and  in  the  return  journey,  but  thirty-five  pounds  of 
sledge  would  be  hauled  by  the  party,  as  against  one  hundred 
and  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  weight  involved 
in  hauling  a  McClintock  sledge. 


Greenland  Dog  Sledge. 

It  wras  to  be  expected  that  long  experience  should  make  the 
Eskimo  of  Greenland  cognizant  of  the  best  pattern  to  be  used 
for  such  purposes,  and  so  the  Greenland  sledge  was  adopted  as 
our  pattern  for  the  dog-sledge.  The  lashings  of  the  Greenland 
sledge  being  of  seal-skin  permit  the  sledge  to  be  handled  in  the 
roughest  possible  manner  without  its  being  materially  injured. 

The  only  serious  danger  of  breaking  the  Greenland  sledge  is  in 
its  runners,  which  split  longitudinally  through  the  row  of  holes 
bored  to  receive  the  lashings.  The  upstanders  and  the  runners 


PREPARATIONS    FOR  SLEDGING. 


201 


of  our  sledges  were  carefully  strengthened  by  setting  in  plates 
of  wrought  iron,  so  that  the  chances  of  splitting  were  greatly 
diminished.  The  pine  slats  commonly  in  use  in  Greenland 
were  replaced  by  the  best  American  ash,  hickory,  or  oak. 
Even  with  the  utmost  precaution  the  slats  will  be  gradually 
worn  out,  and  finally  broken,  by  the  constant  pounding  and 
friction  on  the  rubble  and  hummocky  ice.  It  is  consequently 
essential  that  two  or  three  extra  slats  should  be  carried. 

Dr.  Pavy  had   experimented   somewhat  in   regard   to   the 
modification   of  the   Greenland    sledge   pattern  with   ill   suc- 


Ancient  Eskimo  Sledge — Found  at  Cape  Baird  81°  3C/  N. 

cess,  as  he  reduced  the  length  of  sled,  and  so  added  to 
its  unmanageableness  under  difficult  conditions.  As  the  short- 
ening theory  had  failed,  it  later  occurred  to  me  that  in 
the  rough  rubble  ice,  which  all  of  the  parties  were  certain 
of  experiencing  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent,  the  changed  con- 
ditions necessitated  a  longer  sledge  to  avoid  the  front  catch- 
ing at  the  bottom  of  a  declivity,  and  a  broader  one  to  prevent 
upsetting.  Eventually  the  sledges  were  lengthened  some  six 
inches,  and  were  made  about  three  inches  broader.  This  re- 
sult, it  is  true,  increased  the  weight  of  the  sledge  from  ninety- 


202  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

five  to  one  hundred  and  five  pounds,  but  it  was  found  that  the 
advantages  derived  were  so  great  that,  after  once  trying  the 
new  pattern,  no  officer  was  willing  to  go  on  a  long  journey  with 
the  old  sledge.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  old  Eskimo 
sledges,  discovered  later  at  Cape  Baird,  on  the  shore  of  Lake 
Hazen  and  elsewhere  in  Grinnell  Land,  were  proportionally  of 
even  greater  length  than  our  improved  pattern. 

The  question  of  the  sledging  ration  was  one  of  vital  impor- 
tance. It  is  true  that  the  daily  allowance  of  a  man  should  be  con- 
fined to  such  amount  of  food  as  is  barely  sufficient  to  maintain  his 
health  and  strength,  but  it  is  better  to  err  on  the  side  of  safety 
than  to  incur  the  serious  danger  of  diminishing  the  strength  of 
men  subjected  to  such  arduous  labor  and  great  exposure. 

Sir  Edward  Parry,  in  1827,  adopted  nineteen  ounces  solid 
food  as  his  sledging  ration,  an  amount  which  he  found  to  be  en- 
tirely insufficient  for  his  men.  Dr.  Rae  in  one  journey  adopted 
twenty-nine  ounces,  which  was  not  enough,  and  later  took 
thirty-four  ounces,  which  was  supplemented  somewhat  by 
game.  Other  parties  have  found  thirty-two  ounces,  when  all 
pemmican,  enough  solids.  Convicts  at  hard  labor  in  England 
receive  fifty  ounces  solid  food — mostly  bread  and  vegetables, 
however.  Payer  believes  that  from  forty  to  forty-five  ounces 
solid  food  are  necessary  for  a  sledging  man  daily,  and  he  states 
that  McClintock,  the  great  Arctic  sledge  traveller,  allowed  from 
forty  to  forty-eight  ounces.  The  Arctic  expedition  under 
Captain  Kares  adopted  a  sledging  ration  of  thirty-eight  ounces 
solid  food,  an  amount,  I  think,  inadequate  for  the  maintenance  of 
strength  in  an  extended  trip,  unless  it  consists  of  pemmican  or 
other  highly  concentrated  substances,  such  as  it  is  evident  most 
men  cannot  assimilate  properly.  The  solids  of  the  J^ares  ration 
were  twenty  ounces  of  meat,  fourteen  of  biscuit,  two  each  of  pre- 
served potatoes  and  sugar,  which,  with  four  ounces  of  fuel,  two 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   SLEDGING.  203 

of  rum,  an  ounce  of  chocolate,  a  half  ounce  each  of  tea  and 
tobacco,  with  condiments,  made  a  grand  aggregate  of  46^ 
ounces. 

I  concluded  to  increase  the  solids  to  thirty-nine  ounces,  and 
to  add  an  ounce  of  lime-juice  and  a  half  ounce  of  fuel,  by  sub- 
stituting food,  etc.,  for  rum.  The  sledge  ration  of  1882  was 
viewed  as  a  tentative  one,  and,  while  the  parties  remained  in 
perfect  health  and  did  remarkable  work,  yet,  owing  to  the  gen- 
eral representations,  I  deemed  it  necessary,  in  1883,  to  increase 
it  and  to  modify  the  character  of  the  food  by  replacing  bread 
with  butter  and  meat.  The  ration  I  finally  decided  on  for  the 
latter  year  was  twenty-two  ounces  of  meat,  two  of  butter,  four 
of  vegetables,  ten  of  bread,  two  of  sugar,  one-half  ounce  of 
milk,  one  ounce  of  tea  and  chocolate,  salt  one-fourth,  and 
pepper  one-twentieth  of  an  ounce.  The  alcohol  allowance  of 
1882,  four  and  a  half  ounces  after  April  30th,  (five  ounces  be- 
fore), was  increased  the  following  year  to  six,  as  being  the 
smallest  amount  on  which  a  party  of  three  or  four  could 
properly  cook  their  food.  The  ration  of  1883  consisted,  be- 
sides beverages,  of  forty  and  a  half  ounces  of  food.  Three- 
fourths  of  the  meat  ration  were  about  equal  quantities  of 
pemmican,  bacon,  and  frozen  musk-meat,  while  the  balance 
was  made  up  of  canned  sausage  and  corned  beef. 

As  a  result  of  my  experiences,  I  would  now  recommend  the 
same  quantity  of  solid  food,  but  would  place  the  vegetable  ration 
at  three  ounces  preserved  potatoes,  replacing  the  other  ounce  by 
a  half  ounce  each  of  milk  and  of  extract  of  beef.  Of  the  twenty- 
two  ounces  of  meat,  I  do  not  think  that  more  than  eleven  ounces 
should  be  pemmican,  the  balance  to  be  divided  between  bacon  and 
fresh  meat ;  the  latter  to  be  sliced  fine  and  frozen.  In  case  fresh 
meat  cannot  be  obtained,  it  would  seem  to  me  well  to  make  the 
remaining  eleven  ounces  of  meat  consist  of  four  ounces  of  bacon 


204  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

and  the  balance  of  sausage  and  canned  fresh  meat,  the  latter  to 
be  cooked  as  little  as  is  possible  consistent  with  its  preservation. 

With  the  present  means  of  carrying  large  quantities  of  fresh 
meat,  it  seems  unnecessary  that  any  future  expedition  should  be 
deprived  of  this  invaluable  antiscorbutic,  and  of  all  men  those 
in  the  field  should  be  provided  with  it.  Lime-juice  pemmican 
proved  to  be  very  unpalatable,  and  was  only  eaten  under  press 
of  hunger. 

The  use  of  butter  and  condensed  milk  in  the  field  cannot  be 
too  highly  commended.  Tea,  the  true  Arctic  drink,  should  be 
used  for  three-fourths  of  the  meals  in  the  field ;  the  balance 
should  consist  of  coffee  in  preference  to  chocolate.  It  seemed 
to  be  generally  admitted  by  our  parties  that  chocolate  could  not 
be  drank  in  the  field,  except  at  camping,  as  it  seemed  to  induce 
thirst  during  the  day  if  used  before  the  march.  The  use  of 
extract  of  tea  and  extract  of  coffee  would  probably  reduce  the 
weight  of  beverages  to  one-half  ounce,  and  in  place  might  be 
substituted  curry-paste  or  some  other  powerful  condiment.  If 
extract  of  tea  cannot  be  used,  the  tea  taken  should  be  com- 
pressed. 

No  rum  was  ever  sent  as  a  sledge  ration,  but  a  liberal  amount 
was  always  furnished  as  medicine,  with  authority  for  it  to  be 
used  on  extraordinary  occasions  at  the  discretion  of  the  officer 
in  charge.  In  outfitting  another  sledge  party  I  should  furnish 
it  with  a  small  quantity  of  rum,  not  exceeding  an  ounce  a  day, 
to  be  used  under  similar  restrictions. 

On  the  above  ration  of  1882,  parties  kept  the  field  for  forty 
days  in  a  mean  temperature  below  zero  (  —  17.8°  C.),  and  re- 
turned in  health  and  strength  ;  and  others  for  shorter  periods 
in  extreme  temperatures  did  arduous  work  without  detriment 
to  health  and  strength.  At  depots  and  on  return  marches  the 
parties  occasionally  had  an  opportunity  of  an  extra  allowance, 


PREPARATIONS   FOR  SLEDGING.  205 

which  probably  raised  the  average  solids  to  forty  ounces  daily. 
It  is  not  to  be  assumed,  however,  that  the  ration  of  1883  is 
beyond  criticism ;  but,  as  success  commands  attention  and  respect, 
our  experiences  are  not  to  be  lightly  passed  by.  The  acids  of 
limes,  milk,  and  raw  meat  enter  into  it,  and  the  peculiar  quali- 
ties of  beef  extract  and  of  potatoes  supplement  them.  The 
variety  of  diet,  and  the  sufficiency  of  fuel  to  properly  heat  the 
food,  are  also  important  points. 

Tobacco  was  not  used  as  a  sledge  ration,  and  each  man  was 
expected  to  carry  on  his  person  such  as  he  desired  to  use.  One 
or  two  of  our  men  regularly  abandoned  the  habit  while  serving 
in  the  field. 

It  was  a  constant  practice  in  establishing  supplementary  de- 
pots for  returning  parties,  to  add  to  them  an  extra  amount 
of  canned  fruits,  such  as  pears,  apples,  cranberries,  and  also 
sugar  and  milk.  These  articles  were  most  in  demand  by  the 
hungry  and  exhausted  sledge-men. 

Regarding  the  vexed  question  of  lime-juice,  no  trouble  was 
experienced  in  its  use  as  a  sledge  ration.  The  amount  to  be 
used  in  advancing  was  furnished  the  party  frozen  into  small 
squares,  each  of  which  represented  a  ration.  This  ration  was 
most  acceptable  to  the  men  in  the  field,  and  on  occasions  it 
was  taken  in  a  frozen  condition,  much  to  the  refreshment  and 
invigoration  of  those  who  were  in  quite  an  exhausted  condition. 
My  surgeon,  however,  disapproved  of  this  method  of  taking  it, 
although  the  immediate  result  seemed  beneficial.  The  lime- 
juice  for  return  trips  was  sent  in  rubber  bags,  which,  of  course, 
froze  solid,  but  on  the  return  journey  the  temperature  was  al- 
ways high  enough  to  melt  it.  In  any  case,  as  lime-juice  thaws 
at  a  temperature  of  about  14°  (—10°  C.),  it'  could  be  easily 
brought  to  a  liquid  state  by  keeping  it  in  a  sleeping-bag  over 
night. 


206  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Alcohol  of  great  strength  is  the  best  field  fuel,  and  should  be 
carried  in  tightly  sealed  vessels  of  about  two  gallons,  which 
not  only  insures  safety  by  dividing  the  supply,  but  enables 
caches  to  be  frequently  made  for  the  return  journey  and  the 
dropping  of  empty  tins.  The  soot  and  smoke  from  stearine 
are  quite  unbearable,  and  entering  the  lungs  must  affect  the 
health  in  long  journeys.  A  sufficient  number  of  india-rubber 
bags  to  carry  two  gallons  of  alcohol  were  taken  for  ordinary  use. 

Our  cooking  utensils  were  of  the  simplest  character.  The 
lamp  and  all  the  cooking  vessels  were  fire-proof,  made  as  far  as 
practicable  of  single  pieces  of  heavy  tin  without  solder.  Care- 
ful and  systematic  experiments  caused  us  to  adopt  a  cooking- 
lamp  having  five  wicks,  but  it  is  evident  that  the  number  of 
wicks  to  be  used  must  depend  on  the  extent  of  the  heating 
surface  to  be  exposed  to  its  action. 

Speed  in  cooking  and  economy  of  fuel  by  no  means  go 
hand  in  hand.  The  successful  economy  of  an  alcohol  cook- 
ing-lamp depends  very  largely  on  skilful  manipulation  of  the 
wicks,  which  must  be  pulled  up  just  far  enough  to  allow  the 
heat  given  forth  to  be  entirely  utilized,  so  that  the  food 
is  cooked  with  a  minimum  amount  of  alcohol.  The  best 
lamp,  then,  is  that  which  does  the  greatest  amount  of  work 
on  the  allowance  of  fuel.  Our  experiments  were  made  in 
a  field-tent  in  a  temperature  of  —20°  (—28.9°  C.),  and  the 
snow  used  for  melting  was  at  a  temperature  of  — 30°  ( — 34:.4:0 
C.).  These  conditions  were  similar  to  those  in  later  field  work, 
except  that  we  experimented  on  snow,  which  requires  more 
fuel  than  ice  to  reduce  it  to  water.  The  field -lamp  in  sixteen 
minutes  melted  enough  snow  to  produce  two  and  a  half  quarts 
of  water,  and  ten  minutes  later  raised  it  to  the  boiling-point. 
At  the  same  time,  in  an  upper  vessel,  there  was  made  one  and 
a  half  quart  of  water,  and  it  was  raised  to  a  temperature  of 


PREPARATIONS   FOR  SLEDGING. 


207 


33°  (  +  0.6°  C.).  Four  ounces  of  alcohol  were  expended  in  this 
work.  This  agreed  well  with  the  results  obtained  by  Payer, 
who  boiled  three  gallons  of  water  from  snow  at  —13°  (—25° 
C.)  to  —22°  (—38°  C.)  by  an  expenditure  of  twelve  ounces  of 
alcohol.  Payer  does  not  say,  but  I  suppose  his  experiments 
were  made  in  the  field.  Our  small  lamp  for  two  men  boiled  water 
at  an  expense  of  one-eighth  ounce  alcohol  to  each  pint  of  water, 
a  greater  expenditure  than  with  our  large  lamp,  in  accordance 
with  the  well-known  fact  that  fuel  ra- 
tion can  be  decreased  as  the  number 
to  be  cooked  for  is  increased.  This 
latter  lamp,  which,  with  its  frame  and 
cooking-vessel  complete,  weighed  but 
sixteen  ounces,  was  called  by  the  men 
the  "  Tramp's  Companion." 

The  accompanying  illustration  shows 
the  cooking  apparatus.  A  is  a  stout, 
sheet-iron  cylinder  with  perforations 
for  air  to  reach  alcohol  lamp  E,  which 
fits  closely  in  the  bottom  of  the  cylin- 
der. B  and  C  are  tin  fire-proof  vessels 
with  cylinder  in  centre,  which  allows 
heat  to  rise  to  D,  where  bits  of  iron, 
laid  crosswise  on  top  of  C,  allow  the 
smoke,  with  some  little  heat,  to  escape.  In  this  way  but  little 
heat  is  wasted.  D  inverted  fits  into  A,  covering  and  protecting 
E  while  packed.  Despite  the  seemingly  frail  character  of  this 
apparatus,  it  withstood  all  tests,  and  one  vessel  and  lamp,  used 
for  two  months  northward,  afterward  did  service  for  many 
months  through  our  retreat  and  life  at  Sabine.  In  preparing 
future  lamps  and  cooking  vessels,  the  bottoms  should  be,  I 
think,  of  tolerably  heavy  copper. 


Field  Cooking  Apparatus. 


208  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Contrary  to  the  generally  received  opinions,  fur  clothing, 
even  for  field  services,  was  not  highly  valued  by  the  members  of 
my  party.  It  was  the  general  experience  that  complete  double 
suits  of  woollen  underclothing  of  the  best  quality,  with  the 
outer  clothes  of  common,  thick,  woollen  material,  was  all  the 
covering  that  was  necessary  to  insure  comfort  in  the  field.  It 
is  important,  however,  that  the  surface  of  the  outer  garments 
should  have  a  smooth  finish,  so  as  to  prevent  the  adherence  of 
snow  to  the  cloth.  In  order  to  avoid  this  result,  the  army 
stable-frocks  and  overalls,  which  were  made  of  very  light  can- 
vas, were  worn  as  outer  garments,  and  proved  very  satisfactory 
in  this  respect ;  the  men,  taking  them  off  at  night,  were  able  to 
enter  their  sleeping-bags  with  their  outer  garments  in  an  en- 
tirely dry  condition.  Seal-skin  temiaks,  or  jumpers,  were  found 
serviceable  only  in  windy  weather,  and  were  but  little  used. 
Seal-skin  trousers  were  tried  by  nearly  every  man  in  the  party, 
and  were  discarded  by  the  majority  of  us,  although  some  ad- 
hered to  the  use  of  them. 

However  prudently  a  man  may  work,  he  cannot  prevent 
perspiration  from  starting  while  pulling  on  the  sledge  or  run- 
ning after  it.  The  moisture  thus  engendered  passes  readily 
through  woollen  underclothing  to  finally  form  as  hoar-frost  on 
the  exterior  surface  of  the  outer  garment,  from  which  it  can 
be  brushed.  But  when  seal-skin  is  worn  the  moisture  collects 
on  the  inner  side,  and  saturates  all  the  underclothing  as  well  as 
the  seal-skin  itself ;  unless  the  exertion  is  steadily  continued, 
the  damp  seal-skin  freezes,  and  is  about  as  convenient  and 
comfortable  as  a  coat-of-mail.  When  camp  is  made,  the  un- 
fortunate sledge-man  is  not  only  obliged  to  thaw  out  the  seal- 
skin suit  with  the  heat  of  his  body,  but  must  also  dry  up  the 
moisture.  This  operation  is  not  only  unhealthy,  but  it  induces 
cold,  makes  drafts  on  his  strength,  and  interferes  with  his  reg- 


PREPARATIONS   FOR  SLEDGING.  209 

ular  sleep.  These  objections  largely  disappear  when  a  man 
can  travel  leisurely,  and  refrain  from  exertions  to  such  an  ex- 
tent as  to  be  free  from  perspiration,  conditions  which  in  Grin- 
nell  Land  are  not  possible  with  successful  exploration. 

The  great  trouble  in  Arctic  field  service  is  to  protect  the 
person  from  frost-bite.  This  is  not  as  difficult  as  is  generally 
supposed,  and  whenever  frost-bites  occur  it  will  be  almost  in- 
variably found  that  the  officer  or  men  have  neglected  well- 
known  and  strongly  emphasized  precautions.  Inexperience  or 
imprudent  carelessness  causes  nineteen-twentieths  of  such  cases. 
These  remarks  have  reference  particularly  to  exposure  to  tem- 
peratures above  —30°  (—34.6°  C.),  as  that  amount  of  cold,  from 
observation,  appeared  to  me  to  be  about  the  minimum  to  which 
men  can  be  exposed  for  a  long  time,  without  the  man  has  ex- 
traordinary resisting  powers  or  is  most  carefully  equipped. 
!No  man  should  be  put  in  the  field  who  perspires  excessively,  or 
whose  circulation  is  not  excellent. 

The  whole  'foot  and  hand  gear  must  be  soft,  pliable,  and 
never  tight  enough  to  in  any  manner  impede  the  circulation. 

Pliability  permits  that  easy  and  continuous  flexure  of  the 
joints  which  in  Arctic  travel  is  absolutely  essential  to  maintain 
warmth.  The  inner  covering  of  the  foot  should  be  some  non- 
conducting material,  which  not  only  retains  the  heat  generated 
by  the  foot,  but  permits  perspiration  to  pass  through.  Nothing 
is  better  than  heavy,  closely  knit,  all-wool  socks.  Only  one 
pair  of  socks  should  be  long  enough  to  reach  the  knee,  the 
others  reaching  just  to  and  slightly  above  the  ankle-joint. 
Some  preferred  to  replace  the  shortest  sock  by  a  blanket 
wrapper,  which  is  only  the  sock  in  a  clumsy  shape.  The  outer 
foot-gear  may  be  either  moccasins  or  the  Labrador  or  Green- 
land boot,  which  some  prefer,  owing  to  its  being  oil-tanned 

and  capable  of  resisting,  unchanged,  occasional  immersion  in 
14 


210  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

water.  The  moccasins  should  have  light  canvas  leggings. 
Both  moccasins  and  boots  should  be  taken,  and  should  be  made 
to  order  to  insure  their  being  large  enough,  numbers  to  run 
from  nine  to  twelve.  One  pair  of  each  is  a  minimum  allowance 
for  each  month  of  sledging  that  is  to  be  expected  of  each  man. 

Failure  to  obtain  moccasins  expected  from  Canada,  and  in- 
ability to  procure  many  boots  in  Greenland,  obliged  us  to  sup- 
plement our  supply  by  home  manufacture.  Canvas  boots  did 
not  prove  a  success,  but  the  second  winter  our  saddler,  Fred- 
erick, extemporized  foot-gear  which  answered  admirably  all 
requirements.  It  consisted  of  an  ugsuk  skin  bottom,  so  skil- 
fully turned  up  and  sewed  that  no  seam  was  exposed  as  a  wear- 
ing surface,  with  felt-cloth  tops.  Inner  soles  of  buffalo,  bear, 
or  reindeer  skin  are  very  desirable — the  hair  clipped  short — 
which,  taking  up  the  moisture  from  the  socks,  keeps  the  inner 
sole  of  boot  or  moccasin  dry.  I  cannot  recommend  dog-skin 
or  other  skin  inner  socks  for  wear  in  travelling.  They  un- 
doubtedly are  excellent  when  parties  travel  very  slowly  or  ride 
much  on  the  sledge.  They  should  be  furnished,  however,  with- 
out fail,  for  use  as  sleeping  socks. 

Woollen  mittens  (no  gloves),  with  an  outer  pair  of  seal-skin, 
answer  for  the  hands,  if  supplemented  by  indispensable  woollen 
wristers,  which,  extending  downward  from  midway  between 
elbow  and  wrist,  leave  fingers  and  thumb  free  for  use.  In  low 
temperatures  the  bare  hand  must  be  always  available.  The 
outer  seal-skin  mittens  should  have  two  thumbs,  and  fit  either 
hand  equally  well.  In  the  field  they  should  be  secured  to  the 
coat  by  lanyards.  To  lose  a  mitten  is  sometimes  dangerous. 

The  head  is  best  protected  by  a  whaler's  cap,  a  leather 
woollen-lined  cap  with  a  turn-down  attachment,  but  individual 
taste  can  largely  be  consulted.  "Not  only  is  there  no  satisfac- 
tory protection  for  the  face,  but  face-cloths  or  preparations, 


PREPARATIONS   FOR  SLEDGING.  211 

such  as  glycerine,  etc.,  are  dangerous  in  very  low  temperatures. 
During  travel,  facing  a  wind — which  should  very  rarely  be 
done — the  face  is  largely  protected  by  a  seal-skin  covering, 
which -projects  several  inches  in  front  of  the  face  and  resem- 
bles a  poke  bonnet.  The  projecting  portion  is  kept  stiff  by 
a  small  piece  of  bent  whalebone.  The  face,  especially  the 
nose,  must  be  kept  from  freezing  by  the  frequent  application 
of  the  warm  hand,  which  is  simply  placed  against  the  part  in 
danger  of  freezing,  and  is  never  violently  rubbed  over  it.  The 
danger  of  applying  snow  of  a  temperature  of  —40°  (—40°  C.) 
to  an  already  frozen  nose,  is  evident  from  the  mere  statement  of 
the  case ;  but  when  it  is  rubbed,  the  snow,  being  like  fine  sand, 
grinds  off  the  cuticle  of  the  nose  or  face.  One  of  our  party,  ignor- 
ant of  this  fact,  rubbed  nearly  all  the  skin  from  his  nose,  which 
swelled  greatly  and  gave  him  much  after-pain  and  suffering. 

Goggles  of  neutral-tinted  glass  should  always  be  worn  over 
the  eyes  during  long  journeys  ;  otherwise  no  man  is  certain  of 
escaping  snow-blindness,  which  entails  great  pain  on  the  per- 
son, extra  labor  on  others,  and  perhaps  causes  failure  of  the 
journey.  It  is  difficult  to  enforce  this  rule,  which  is  equally 
important  on  dull  or  on  bright  days. 

Our  sleeping-bags  were  of  well-tanned  buffalo-skin,  which 
can  be  recommended.  Sheepskin  was  tried,  and  found  to  make 
a  warmer  bag,  but  they  cannot  be  recommended  for  long  or 
important  journeys.  They  are  not  only  heavier,  but  they  col- 
lect moisture  very  rapidly,  and  are  soon  a  mass  of  ice.  The 
bag  should  slope  gradually,  with  increasing  size  from  the  bot- 
tom, which  should  be  large  enough  to  afford  comfortable  room 
for  the  feet,  to  a  broad  flap,  which  can  be  pulled  down  over  the 
head  by  strings  running  through  rings,  as  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration, and  then  into  the  sleeping-bag.  If  lightly  covered 
with  strong  oiled  silk  or  thin  rubber-cloth,  it  would  be  much 


212 


THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


improved,  thus  preventing  the  collection  of  moisture  which  in- 
creases the  weight  greatly  and  adds  much  to  the  discomfort  of 

the  occupants.  Each 
bag  should  be  for  two, 
or  at  the  most  three, 
men.  Men  sleeping 
singly  suffer  much 
more  from  cold  than 
in  double  bags.  Our 
tent-cloths,  though  ex- 
cellent, could  have 
been  well  replaced  by 
light  gutta-percha  mat- 
tresses, which,  inflated 
with  air  and  placed  un- 
der the  bags,  would  add 
much  to  the  warmth 
of  the  travellers. 

Common  army  tents 
were  used  by  us  for 
field  service,  and  in 

Three-man  Buffalo  Sleeping-bag.  , .  T         i 

these  were  spread  rub- 
ber tent-cloths,  which,  made  to  order  for  Arctic  service,  never 
cracked  or  split  from  severity  of  the  cold,  as  has  sometimes 
occurred  in  previous  expeditions.  Regular  tent-poles  and  iron 
pins  were  made  use  of.  It  seems  possible  that  a  rubber  tent 
could  be  invented  which  should  unite  both  tent  and  cloth, 
and  which  could  be  kept  upright  by  a  light  frame ;  but  tent- 
age  in  general  is  a  simple  question,  in  regard  to  which  per- 
sonal preferences  can  safely  be  yielded  to.  The  dog  or  shelter 
tent  should  be  used  when  practicable,  owing  to  its  extreme 
lightness,  in  late  spring  or  early  autumn  travel. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THANK    GOD    HARBOR    AND    HALL's    GRAVE. 
LIEUTENANT   LOCKWOOD's   WOKK. 

first  spring  sledging  anticipated  the  return  of  the  sun 
by  ten  days.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  left  on  February  19th, 
accompanied  by  Sergeant  Brainard  and  Eskimo  Christiansen, 
with  dog-sledge  Antoinette.  His  orders  required  him  to  visit 
depot  "  B "  near  Cape  Beechy,  and  to  examine  the  ice  in 
Kobeson  Channel,  with  a  view  of  selecting  the  best  route  to  be 
followed  in  a  later  trip  to  Thank  God  Harbor. 

The  ice-foot  from  Fort  Conger  to  Cape  Beechy  was  found  to 
be  in  excellent  condition,  the  rubble  ice  being  packed  with  hard 
snow.  The  low  temperature,  —42°  (—41.1°  C.),  caused  the 
sledge  to  drag  with  great  difficulty,  owing  to  the  extraordinary 
amount  of  friction.  The  tent  at  depot  "  A  "  in  passing  was 
found  to  be  blown  down,  probably  by  the  violent  gale  of 
January  16th. 

The  snow-house  at  depot  "  B,"  constructed  the  previous 
autumn,  was  completely  concealed  by  drift  snow,  which  covered 
the  roof  of  the  house  several  feet  deep.  In  digging  out  the 
entrance  to  the  snow-house,  the  self -registering  thermometer, 
from  which  I  had  hoped  to  obtain  the  minimum  temperature 
of  the  winter  at  Cape  Beechy,  was  unfortunately  broken. 

Sergeant  Brainard,  in  his  field  journal,  records :  "  Found  a 
considerable  quantity  of  snow  in  the  snow-house,  which  had 


214  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

blown  down  the  stovepipe  and  formed  above  the  stove  a  cone- 
shaped  mound,  which  reached  nearly  to  the  roof.  Working 
rapidly,  in  about  an  hour  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the 
house  and  passage  clear  and  a  glowing  fire  in  the  little  stove. 
I  wonder  if  we  are  not  the  first  Arctic  travellers  who,  on  such 
a  trip,  have  had  a  good  coal-fire  and  a  snow-house  over  it." 

On  the  20th  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Sergeant  Brainard 
examined  the  ice  opposite  the  depot  in  the  direction  of  Polaris 
Promontory.  They  found  much  huminocky  ice  intermixed  with 
considerable  rubble,  conditions  which  were  hardly  satisfactory 
for  sledging.  While  the  party  were  occupied  in  this  reconnois- 
sance,  the  temperature  at  the  station  was  — 52.6°  ( — 4TD  C.),  but 
they  were  so  satisfactorily  clad  that  they  did  not  suffer  exces- 
sively from  cold,  although  they  were  obliged  to  watch  each 
other's  faces  to  prevent  their  freezing  under  the  influence  of  a 
light  northeast  wind. 

The  f ollow ing  day  they  examined  the  ice  directly  eastward  of 
Cape  Beechy,  and,  passing  through  a  strip  of  very  rough  ice  not 
over  two  hundred  yards  wide,  reached  a  level  palseocrystic  floe 
which  afforded  excellent  sledging.  They  travelled  several  miles 
toward  the  Greenland  coast,  and  from  a  high  hummock  saw 
that  the  road  for  a  considerable  distance  to  the  eastward  was 
equally  favorable.  The  party  returned  to  Fort  Conger  on  the 
22d,  in  sufficiently  early  time  to  participate  in  the  amusements 
of  the  day. 

The  mercury  was  frozen  during  their  entire  absence,  and  the 
mean  temperature  was  —  44.7°  (  —  42.6°  C.)  at  the  station,  and 
probably  lower  in  the  field.  In  these  temperatures  the  party 
had  travelled  between  sixty  and  seventy  miles  in  Arctic  twilight, 
for  the  sun  had  not  returned  to  us,  without  frost-bite  or  mishap. 
This  success  augured  well  for  longer  and  more  important  jour- 
neys. February  28th  was  marked  by  the  first  appearance  of 


THANK   GOD   HARBOR  AND   HALL5  8  GRAVE.  215 

the  sun,  though  its  slight  effect  on  the  temperature  was  shown 
by  the  thermometer  recording  —49°  (—45°  C.). 

On  the  following  day,  in  obedience  to  my  instructions,  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood,  with  sledge  Antoinette,  started  for  Thank 
God  Harbor  by  the  way  of  Depot  "  B."  His  party  consisted  of 
Sergeants  Brainard,  Jewell,  and  Eskimo  Christiansen. 

The  main  clauses  of  his  orders  required  that  "  ten  days'  allow- 
ance of  provisions,  fuel,  and  dog-food  will  be  taken  from  here, 
which  will  be  supplemented  by  such  additions  from  Depot  "  B  " 
(Cape  Beechy)  as  can  be  carried  without  materially  impeding 
your  progress  across  Robeson  Channel.  Your  first  duty  will  be 
to  visit  the  observatory  at  Thank  God  Harbor,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain exactly  what  supplies  are  there  available  for  sledge  par- 
ties. .  .  .  It  is  important  that  the  boat- camp,  in  the  ravine 
about  one  mile  east  of  Cape  Sumner,  be  visited,  and  the  condi- 
tion of  the  whale-boat  ascertained.  While  it  is  very  desirable 
that  the  condition  of  the  ice  across  Kewman  Bay  .  .  .  should 
be  determined,  .  .  .  it  is  left  to  your  judgment  to  aban- 
don this  part  of  the  trip  should  adverse  circumstances  arise,  or 
should  you  think  time  could  be  gained  for  your  spring  wrork  by 
so  doing.  Points  should  be  selected  for  future  depots.  .  .  . 
You  will  leave  on  the  Greenland  coast  all  supplies  not  indis- 
pensable to  your  comfortable  and  safe  return  to  Cape  Beechy. 
As  Sergeant  Jewell  will  probably  be  charged  with  the  support 
of  your  party  during  the  spring,  you  should  communicate  freely 
your  views  as  to  the  best  route  and  methods  to  be  followed  in 
such  work.  .  .  ." 

Private  Long  and  Eskimo  Jens,  with  a  second  dog-team,  which 
carried  supplies  to  Depot  "  B,"  were  placed  under  his  orders,  to 
support  him  as  far  beyond  Cape  Beechy  as  would  be  necessary. 

Good  travelling  and  fresh  teams  enabled  them  to  make  the 
trip  to  Depot  "  B,"  a  distance  of  twenty-eight  miles,  in  five 


216 


THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


hours  and  twenty  minutes.  The  night  was  spent  comfortably 
in  the  snow-house,  and  the  following  morning  Lieutenant  Lock- 
wood  proceeded  on  his  journey,  accompanied,  until  the  rubble 
ice  off  Cape  Beechy  was  passed,  by  Private  Long.  Their  stores 
having  been  transferred  to  the  Antoinette,  the  supporting  party 
returned  that  evening  to  the  home  station,  and  the  other 
toward  Greenland. 

The  load  on  the  sledge  Antoinette,  on  leaving  Cape  Beechy, 
was  about  seven  hundred  pounds,  which  enabled  the  team  of 


Greenland  Coast  from  Cape  Beechy. 

eight  dogs  to  travel  freely  over  the  palseocrystic  floe.  An  hour 
and  a  half's  travel  brought  Lieutenant  Lockwood  to  the  farthest 
point  reached  by  him  in  his  reconnoitering  trip  ten  days  previous. 
Being  doubtful  as  to  the  condition  of  the  ice  in  advance,  he  left 
one  bag  of  provisions  on  a  prominent  hummock,  and  continued 
on  toward  The  Gap  (a  marked  indentation  central  in  the  bold, 
high  coast  which  stretches  from  Cape  Lupton  to  Cape  Sumner). 
Several  more  hours  of  sledging  over  palseocrystic  floes,  varied 
by  deep  snow  underlying  a  weak  crust,  brought  the  party  to 


THANK   GOD   HARBOR  AND   HALL'S   GRAVE.  217 

the  rubble  ice,  and  an  hour  later  they  had  the  gratification  of 
putting  foot  on  the  Greenland  shore  at  Promontory  Point  (a 
name  given  to  the  bold  headland  just  south  of  The  Gap),  where 
their  tent  was  pitched  for  the  night. 

Five  and  a  half  hours'  travelling  south  along  the  Greenland 
coast,  on  March  3d,  brought  them  to  the  observatory,  on  the 
plateau  above  Thank  God  Harbor,  occupied  by  Bessels  and 
Bryan  in  1871-2.  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  experience  that  day 
convinced  him  that  no  ice-foot  properly  called  existed  along 
that  portion  of  the  Greenland  coast.  In  this  respect  his  ex- 
periences and  opinions  were  verified  by  the  observations  of  later 
parties  in  both  that  and  the  subsequent  year.  Gentle  slopes  of 
snow  at  times  extended  to  the  rows  of  stranded  floebergs, 
affording  level  travel,  but  the  difficulty  of  reaching  it  and  lack 
of  continuity  rendered  it  better  to  keep  out  well  from  the 
shore. 

Level  palseocrystic  floes  of  great  extent  were  at  times 
fallen  in  with,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Thank  God  Harbor  a  con- 
siderable number  of  floebergs  were  found,  most  of  which  were 
probably  grounded,  and  one  of  which  Sergeant  Brainard  thought 
"  might  well  be  a  remnant  of  Providence  berg." 

Considering  that  it  was  originally  a  very  light  structure,  the 
observatory  was  in  a  comparatively  fair  condition,  the  sides  and 
one  end  yet  standing  ;  the  other  end  and  roof  were  found  broken 
in  pieces,  and  scattered  for  several  hundred  yards  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity.  The  building  affording  no  shelter,  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  decided  to  construct  a  snow-house  instead  of  pitching 
his  tent.  One  was  dug  out  of  a  huge  drift,  in  two  hours' 
time. 

March  4th  was  spent  in  taking  an  inventory  of  the  supplies 
stored  in  the  dilapidated  building.  As  the  temperature  was 
37°  below  zero  (—38.3°  C.),  and  a  fresh  northeast  wind  pre- 


218  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

vailed,  the  work  was  of  the  most  severe  character.  The  stores 
found  agreed  in  110  way  with  those  given  in  the  Polaris  record. 
The  English  provision-book  gave  a  careful  and  detailed  in- 
ventory of  articles  found  by  them  in  1875,  as  well  as  of 
those  consumed  by  Lieutenant  Beaumont's-  party  the  subse- 
quent year. 

The  following  articles  of  serviceable  food  were  found  :  Six 
forty -five-pound  cans  of  pemmican,  about  thirty-five  pounds  of 
farina,  a  half  barrel  of  lime-juice,  and  a  barrel  of  yellow  corn- 
meal.  Ten  barrels  of  hard  bread,  part  made  from  Graham 
flour,  were  found  in  eatable  condition,  though  some  parts  were 
slightly  moulded.  There  were  a  number  of  miscellaneous 
articles  in  serviceable  condition,  the  most  important  of  which 
were  hatchets,  saws,  shovels,  lead,  shot,  gunpowder,  cartridges 
for  rifle  and  pistol  (calibre  fifty),  and  centre-primed  shot-gun 
cartridges.  The  English  ice-boat  was  carefully  secured,  and,  as 
far  as  could  be  determined  without  disturbing  it,  was  in  excel- 
lent condition.  Two  of  the  coverlets  left  by  Lieutenant  Beau- 
mont contributed  much  to  the  comfort  of  the  sledging  party  in 
their  snow-house,  being  a  most  welcome  addition  as  the  tempera- 
ture fell  that  night  to  —51°  (-46.1°  C.). 

The  graves  of  Captain  Hall  and  of  the  English  sailors  Hand 
and  Paul  were  visited  and  found  to  be  in  excellent  order.  The 
head-board  erected  by  the  Polaris  party  was  so  well  arranged 
originally  that  it  still  looked  quite  new,  and  stress  of  weather 
had  rendered  illegible  but  few  of  the  letters.  The  handsome 
brass  tablet  erected  by  the  English  expedition  under  Sir  George 
Kares,  as  a  tribute  to  Captain  Hall's  memory,  stood  erect  and 
firm  with  no  signs  of  decay  or  weakness  in  its  supports.  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood  carried  and  displayed  the  small  national  flag 
made  by  my  wife,  which  was  invariably  carried  as  a  sledge  flag 
for  the  Antoinette. 


THANK   GOD   HARBOR  AND   HALL'S   GRAVE.  219 

From  the  adjoining  cairn  were  obtained  and  brought  to  Con- 
ger the  records  left  by  Captain  Stephenson,  Lieutenant  Beau- 
mont, and  other  officers  of  Her  Majesty's  Navy  in  1875-76. 

The  dreariness  and  desolation  of  the  country  immediately 
adjoining  the  anchorage  ground  of  the  Polaris  was  com- 
mented on,  not  only  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Sergeant 
Brainard,  but  by  all  others  of  the  expedition  who  at  any  time 
visited  it.  The  surroundings,  all  agreed,  were  in  marked  and 
disagreeable  contrast  with  the  immediate  country  around  Fort 
Conger. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  decided  to  proceed  to  Cape  Sumner 
over  the  same  route  as  that  followed  by  Captain  Hall  in  1870, 
by  the  way  of  Newman  Bay.  Consequently,  later  in  the  day, 
he  examined  the  country  in  that  direction,  finding  a  level  plain 
whose  rocky,  gravelly  surface  was  but  scantily  covered  with 
snow,  conditions  which  promised  to  make  travelling  difficult. 

This  absence  of  snow  as  a  covering  for  the  ground,  not  only 
in  Northern  Greenland,  but  in  Grinnell  Land,  was  general  in  our 
two  years'  experience,  and  caused  much  comment  as  contrary  to 
expectations. 

Sunday,  March  5th,  proved  a  beautiful  clear  morning,  with 
keen  frosty  air  and  a  temperature,  at  7  A.M.,  of  — 50.5° 
(—45.8°  C.).  The  Grinnell  Land  coast,  which  had  been  hid- 
den by  low  fog  the  preceding  day,  stood  out  clear  and  distinct 
far  to  the  westward  of  them  as  they  turned  their  backs  toward 
it  and  started  across  the  low  country  to  Newman  Bay.  A  nar- 
row deep  ravine  was  followed,  which,  rough  and  broken, 
eventually  brought  them  out  "  on  an  extensive  plain  stretching 
to  the  east  as  far  as  could  be  seen.  We  found  this  little  broken 
by  any  deep  water-courses,  though  the  absence  of  snow  was 
surprising.  The  thermometer  registered  —55.5°  (—48.6°  C.), 
and  there  was  quite  a  perceptible  breeze  blowing  in  our  faces. '' 


220  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

After  only  six  hours'  travelling,  owing  to  the  extremely  low 
temperature  (it  had  not  risen  above  —50°  (—45.6°  C.)  during 
the  day)  and  a  rapidly  falling  barometer,  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
deemed  it  the  most  prudent  course  to  go  into  camp. 

The  deepest  drift  was  searched  out  in  a  small  ravine,  where  a 
hole  was  dug  in  the  snow,  which  was  so  shallow  that  the  ground 
was  reached  in  less  than  four  feet.  The  tent  and  poles  covered 
with  snow  formed  its  roof,  and  the  party  passed  a  warm  night, 
though  cramped  exceedingly  for  room  owing  to  the  small  size 
of  the  house.  They  had  scarcely  entered  the  hut  when  a 
snow-storm  with  brisk  wind  sprang  up,  though  the  temperature 
at  that  time  was  —51°  (—46.1°  C.).  Despite  the  storm  with- 
out, the  heat  of  their  bodies  and  the  vapor  from  the  alcohol 
cooking-lamp  raised  the  temperature  to  an  uncomfortable  de- 
gree, and  from  the  tightness  of  the  house  nearly  suffocated  the 
party. 

Sergeant  Brainard  in  his  notes  that  evening  records :  "  At  11 
A.M.  the  thermometer  recorded  —55.5°  (—48.6°  C.)  while  we 
were  travelling,  and  a  light  breeze  from  the  northeast  prevailed 
at  the  same  time.  The  temperature  has  remained  below  — 50° 
(—45.6°  C.)  during  the  entire  day,  and  at  times  we  were  com- 
pelled to  keep  the  warm  hand  to  the  face  continually  in  order 
to  prevent  it  from  freezing.  Great  as  are  our  discomforts,  we 
are  congratulating  ourselves  upon  the  warmth  imparted  by  our 
snug  snow-den.  The  temperature  has  been  something  almost 
unknown  in  the  annals  of  Arctic  exploration,  and  the  snow- 
storm which  commenced  about  the  time  we  entered  camp,  was 
accompanied  by  brisk  wind,  which  in  a  tent  would  probably 
have  frost-bitten  some  of  the  party  severely." 

Payer  records  a  sledge  journey,  March  13. 1874,  when  tem- 
peratures of  —47.2°  (—44°  C.)  and  -50.8°  (—46°  C.)  were  ex- 
perienced. He  says:  "I  do  not  believe  that  we  could  have 


THANK   GOD   HARBOR  AND   HALL5  8   GRAVE. 

passed  through  the  night  without  the  help  of  grog,  in  spite  of 
which,  boiling  hot,  we  suffered  much  all  through  the  night  from 
cold  and  our  frozen  clothes." 

Just  before  going  into  camp  Sergeant  Brainard  discovered  on 
that  winter's  snow  the  dung  of  a  musk-ox,  which  he  thought 
could  be  scarcely  a  week  dropped.  He  well  says :  "  This  should 
be  positive  proof  that  the  animal  does  not  migrate  south  with  the 
sun  and  return  the  following  year  as  the  sun  advances,  as  many 
assume  to  be  his  habit,  but  remains  in  some  well-sheltered  val- 
ley or  ravine  during  the  winter  darkness,  subsisting  on  whatever 
comes  in  his  way."  This  incident,  and  my  personal  experience, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  British  expedition,  leaves  no  doubt  that 
the  musk-ox  is  a  regular  habitant  of  Grinnell  Land  and  North- 
ern Greenland  the  entire  year. 

The  morning  of  March  6th  it  was  necessary  for  the  party  to 
burrow  out  of  their  lodging  through  the  snow,  as  the  tunnel 
had  completely  filled  from  the  drift  of  the  prevailing  storm. 
The  temperature,  which  had  fallen  to  —52°  (— 46.7°C.)  during 
the  night,  had  then  risen  to  —36.5°  (—38.1°  C.),  but  unfortu- 
nately a  fresh  wind  had  to  be  faced  in  travelling. 

Despite  the  continued  wind  and  snow,  the  party  moved  on- 
ward, and  in  two  hours  reached  the  level  expanse  of  Newman 
Bay,  which  was  broken  to  the  eastward  only  by  a  group  of 
rocks  which  Lieutenant  Lockwood  thought  might  be  Howgate 
Island  of  the  Hall  expedition.  After  four  hours'  travelling, 
the  strong  northerly  wind  produced  such  frequent  frost-bites  that 
it  was  deemed  best  to  camp  on  reaching  a  favorable  snow-drift. 
They  were  fortunate  enough  to  find  a  snow-bank  with  a  vertical 
front,  into  which  a  small  entrance  two  feet  wide  and  three  feet 
high  was  dug,  for  four  feet,  and  then  the  interior  was  gradually 
hollowed  out  until  a  large  roomy  chamber  was  formed.  The 
entrance  of  the  tunnel  was  covered  with  the  tent,  and  the 


222  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

alcohol-lamp  used  for  cooking  soon  raised  the  temperature  of 
the  snow-hut  above  the  freezing  point. 

The  storm  broke  during  the  night,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  7th  the  sky  cleared  sufficiently  for  the  sun  to  be  seen  for  a 
time,  but  later  snow  recommenced.  After  breakfast,  at  8  A.M., 
the  temperature  outside  was  —49.5°  (—45.3°  C.),  with  a  brisk 
wind  from  the  northeast,  and  during  the  day  —52°  (—46.7°  C.) 
was  recorded. 

Owing  to  the  continued  wind,  Lieutenant  Lockwood  did  not 
deem  it  safe  to  travel,  and  the  day  was  spent  in  the  snow- 
hut. 

The  weather  still  continued  very  bad  on  the  8th,  though  the 
temperature  rose  to  —35°  (—37.2°  C.).  An  attempt  was  made 
to  proceed  on  the  journey,  but  the  wind  increasing  in  strength 
caused  many  frost-bites,  as  they  were  facing  it,  and  in  conse- 
quence the  party  were  obliged  to  return  to  their  snow-hut. 

Immediately  after  returning,  although  the  hut  had  been 
vacated  an  hour,  the  following  interesting  observations  of  tem- 
perature were  noted  : 

Outside  the  tunnel,  —33°  (—36.1°  C.) ;  on  floor  inside  hut, 
+  3°  (16.1°  C.);  two  and  one-half  feet  above  floor,  +31° 
(— 0.6°.  C.).  Later,  when  the  alcohol-lamp  was  burning,  the 
temperature  reached  only  +36°  (  +  2.2°  C.)  inside  the  hut,  but  a 
hole  had  previously  been  cut  into  the  roof,  which  was  covered 
only  by  a  piece  of  light  canvas  to  serve  as  a  window  ;  candles 
having  been  forgotten. 

An  incident  occurred  while  in  the  snow-house  which  illus- 
trated how  important  a  thing  a  match  may  be,  and  how  slight 
a  neglect  may  imperil  the  lives  of  a  sledge  party.  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  and  Sergeant  Jewell  had  used  up  or  had  lost  their 
stock  of  matches.  Both  common  and  wax  matches  were 
supplied  to  and  carried  by  sledge-men,  in  water-tight  cases 


THANK  GOD  HARBOR  AND  HALL'S  GRAVE.     223 

of  rubber.  Sergeant  Brainard  in  his  field-journal  says  :  "  "VVe 
made  the  alarming  discovery  this  evening  that  I  was  the 
only  one  in  the  party  who  possessed  matches,  and  those  in 
limited  number.  An  attempt  being  made  to  light  the  wax 
matches,  it  was  found  that  they  would  not  burn,  the  dampness 
of  the  house  having  evidently  been  communicated  to  them. 
Recollecting  that  I  had  a  box  of  water-proof  matches  in  a 
garment  which  was  outside  of  the  snow-house,  I  procured 
them,  and  seating  myself  on  a  sleeping-bag,  surrounded  by  my 
anxious  comrades  who  scarcely  dared  to  breathe,  commenced  a 
series  of  experiments  on  the  new  matches.  All  to  no  purpose; 
they  refused  to  burn,  as  did  the  wax,  and  would  just  ignite  the 
sulphur  without  even  charring  the  wrood.  We  now  began  to 
seriously  consider  our  situation  here.  We  were  out  of  the 
usual  route  of  travel  between  Thank  God  Harbor  and  Kewman 
Bay,  without  light  and  fire,  and  with  temperatures  of  freezing 
mercury  outside  our  damp  snow-house.  We  were  at  least  sixty 
miles  from  home  by  the  nearest  route,  and  seventy  by  that  we 
had  followed.  Could  we  live  three,  or  even  two  days,  without 
water,  until  we  could  reach  Depot  "  B  "  (Cape  Beechy)  ?  It 
was  finally  decided  that  if  to-morrow  was  a  favorable  day  for 
travelling  we  could  reach  Cape  Sunnier,  and  the  day  following 
Cape  Beechy,  and  although  we  would  suffer  much  from  thirst 
yet  we  would  be  able  to  make  the  journey.  The  revolver  was 
suggested,  and  paper  was  prepared  into  which  it  was  to  be  dis- 
charged, but  one  of  the  party  wanted  to  give  the  matches 
another  trial.  This  was  done,  and  match  after  match  ignited 
only  to  barely  flicker  and  go  out.  Jewell  finally  produced  a 
love-letter,  which  was  very  carefully  worn  in  some  inside  gar- 
ment, and  holding  a  piece  to  the  next  match  it  caught  the  flame 
slowly  and  immediately  communicated  it  to  the  alcohol-lamp, 
one  wick  of  which  was  allowed  to  burn  until  we  quit  the  snow- 


224  THEEE  TEAKS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

* 

house."  The  cause  of  the  matches  not  lighting  eventually 
proved  to  be  the  vitiated,  damp  atmosphere  of  the  hut. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  with  a  temperature  of  —34:° 
(— 36.7°  C.),  the  party  started  for  Polaris  Boat  Camp,  near 
Cape  Sumner.  In  a  ravine  sloping  toward  Newman  Bay 
Brainard  and  Jewell  saw  four  ptarmigan  in  perfect  winter 
plumage,  and  Lieutenant  Lockwood  shot  a  hare,  which  stood 
transfixed  with  astonishment  at  Jewell's  antics  as  a  beater-in. 

As  snow  was  found  upon  the  land  the  course  was  at  first  kept 
parallel  with  the  bay,  so  that  Reynolds  Island  was  not  to  be 
distinguished ;  but  later  they  took  to  the  floe.  The  whole 
surface-ice  of  Newman  Bay  was  smooth  and  level,  evidently 
composed  of  harbor-ice  of  that  season,  and  the  snow  upon  its 
surface  was  packed  very  hard  from  the  recent  storm.  Naturally 
this  hard  level  snow  would  seem  to  afford  easy  sledging,  but 
unfortunately  such  is  not  the  fact.  The  dry  snow  at  very  low 
temperatures  acts  upon  steel  runners  as  dry  sand,  and  the  fric- 
tion is  simply  enormous.  The  snow  retarded  greatly  their 
progress,  but  whenever  ice  was  fallen  in  with  their  gait  was 
comparatively  rapid.  No  ice-foot  was  found  along  the  shore  of 
Newman  Bay. 

Eight  hours'  travelling  brought  them  to  Boat  Camp,  where 
the  whale  and  canvas  boats  were  readily  found.  The  latter 
boat  had  six  oars,  and  was  substantially  in  the  condition  de- 
scribed by  the  English  Arctic  reports.  The  hole  in  the  whale- 
boat  was  very  small,  and  otherwise  it  seemed,  on  careful  ex- 
amination, to  be  in  excellent  order. 

The  temperature  had  fallen  as  they  travelled  to  —39°  (—39.4° 
C.),  and  was  —40°  (  —40°  C.)  when  Cape  Sumner  was  reached 
at  the  end  of  nine  and  a  half  hours'  travel.  The  route  from 
Boat  Camp  to  Sumner  was  behind  a  series  of  stranded  bergs, 
over  a  snow-slope  which  could  be  made  practicable  for  a  loaded 


THANK   GOD   HARBOR  AND  HALL'S  GRAVE.  225 

sledge  only  by  considerable  work.  Worn  out  by  the  day's 
travel  the  tent  was  soon  pitched,  but  their  night  and  morning 
were  wretchedly  passed,  as  the  sleeping-bag,  saturated  with 
moisture  from  the  high  temperature  in  the  Bnow-hut,  was 
frozen  completely  solid  during  the  day,  and  it  required  the 
steady  exertion  of  the  four  men  for  several  hours  to  unroll  it 
and  force  themselves  within.  It  was  necessary  to  thaw  out 
this  mass  of  ice  by  the  heat  of  their  bodies.  As  the  tempera- 
ture had  fallen  to  —40°  (  —40°  C.)  this  tedious  operation  was 
very  trying  to  the  chilled,  weary  men,  and  their  discomfort  was 
not  lessened  by  the  cutting,  disagreeable  wind  experienced  by 
them  from  the  exposed  position  in  which  their  tent  was  pitched 
— at  the  very  point  of  Cape  Surnner. 

On  the  morning  of  March  10th  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  in  the 
exercise  of  his  discretion,  concluded  not  to  visit  the  north  side 
of  Newman  Bay,  as  its  passage  presented  no  difficulties  and 
he  was  satisfied  that  the  advance  depot  for  future  operations 
could  be  established  readily  either  at  Boat  Camp,  Cape  Brevoort, 
or  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gap  valley. 

The  entrance  of  Newman  Bay  was  crowded  with  heavy,  rough 
ice,  which  gave  way  to  small  and  level  floes  a  few  miles  inland. 
Leaving  his  tent,  sleeping-bag,  and  other  articles  of  future  bene- 
fit, Lieutenant  Lockwood  started  later  across  Robeson  Channel, 
in  a  temperature  of  —41°  (  —  40.6°  C.),  and  reached  Depot 
"  B  "  in  twelve  and  a  half  hours.  The  journey  in  places  was 
slow  and  laborious,  owing  to  rubble  and  hummocky  ice,  and 
their  discomforts  were  largely  increased  by  the  blinding  snow- 
storm, which  for  a  time  shut  out  even  the  nearest  land. 

As  a  result   of  his  trip,  Lieutenant   Lockwood   concluded 
that  the  best  route  to  Cape  Sumner  was  to  follow  his  original 
tracks  eastward  until  near  the  Gap,  and  then  follow  the  Green- 
land coast  to  Cape  Sumner. 
15 


226  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

The  outcome  of  this  journey  was  particularly  satisfactory.  The 
distance  travelled  was  at  least  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  miles, 
in  a  mean  temperature,  as  shown  by  their  observations,  of 
—42.3°  (—41.3°  C.)  during  their  ten  days'  absence.  The  party 
had  perfect  health  during  their  entire  trip,  and  no  frost-bites 
were  received  except  slight  and  superficial  ones  on  the  face  while 
travelling.  The  journey  involved  extraordinary  hardships  and 
sufferings,  which  demanded  no  ordinary  powers  of  endurance  to 
meet  successfully.  The  dogs  stood  the  trip  very  well,  except  a 
young  animal,  about  nine  months  old,  who  was  somewhat  tired 
at  times.  A  not  unimportant  result  was  to  give  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  and  the  men  confidence  in  their  equipment  and  in 
their  own  powers,  as  compared  with  other  expeditions.  The 
journey  from  Thank  God  Harbor  to  Cape  Sumner  was 
made  over  the  same  route  as  that  followed  by  Hall  to  Cape 
Brevoort,  and  entailed  the  same  amount  of  travel.  The  journey 
was  made  by  Captain  Hall  in  six  marches,  by  Lieutenant  Lock- 
wood  in  three,  during  two  of  which  he  was  driven  by  storm  to 
shelter.  This  comparison  is  not  intended  as  any  reflection  on 
Captain  Hall,  who  from  eight  years'  experience  was  thoroughly 
conversant  with  si  edge- work,  but  to  point  out  the  importance 
of  such  field-work  being  done  by  young  men  in  the  most  active 
period  of  life.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  his  comrades  were 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  while  Captain  Hall  was  over  fifty. 
The  entire  distance  was  travelled  on  foot  by  the  former  party, 
while  Captain  Hall,  from  lack  of  vigor  and  health,  was  obliged 
to  keep  the  sledge. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ESTABLISHING    DEPOTS. 
(DR.    PAVY   AND   SERGEANT   BBAINARD.) 

TT7HILE  Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  yet  absent  at  Thank 
God  Harbor  the  sun  returned,  so  it  was  rendered  possi- 
ble to  commence  the  establishment  of  depots.  The  small  caches 
near  Mount  Parry  and  the  large  English  depot  at  Lincoln  Bay 
were  sufficient  for  the  use  of  the  party  that  was  detailed  to 
travel  north  over  the  Frozen  Sea.  The  North  Greenland  ex- 
ploring party  was  unfortunate  in  having  no  nearer  base  of 
supplies  than  Depot  "B,"  which  was  separated  from  Greenland 
by  a  broad  channel  nearly  twenty  miles  wide. 

To  insure  the  success  of  work  on  that  shore,  I  determined  ou 
establishing  a  depot  at  Polaris  Boat  Camp  near  Cape  Sum- 
ner.  To  this  end  Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  Pavy,  who  had 
volunteered  for  spring  sledging,  was  sent,  with  Sergeant  Lynn, 
Eskimo  Jens,  and  dog-sledge  Lilla,  on  March  5th,  to  convey 
a  sledge-load  of  provisions  to  as  northerly  a  point  on  the  Green- 
land coast  as  could  be  reached  in  one  day's  march  from  Cape 
Beechy. 

The  trip  to  Depot  "  B  "  was  comfortably  made  in  nine  hours 
in  a  mean  temperature  of  —36°  (—37.8°  C.).  The  sledge  load 
of  about  seven  hundred  pounds  was  dragged  by  seven  dogs. 
The  severe  gale  which  drove  Lieutenant  Lockwood  to  camp, 
after  four  hours'  travelling,  likewise  detained  Dr.  Pavy  on  the 


228  THREE   TEAKS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

6th  in  the  snow-house  near  Cape  Beechy.  The  day  was  spent 
comfortably,  for,  although  the  outside  temperature  registered 
— 34:°  (—36.7°  C.),  yet  the  interior  temperature  was  raised  to 
+  26°  (—3.3°  C.)  by  an  Eskimo  lamp. 

On  the  7th,  after  ten  hours'  severe  work  in  a  mean  tempera- 
ture of  —38°  (—38.9°  C.),  Dr.  Pavy  pitched  his  tent  on  the  floe 
in  Robeson  Channel,  some  two  miles  from  the  Greenland  coast. 
During  this  journey  he  met  with  a  misfortune  through  im- 
proper packing  of  the  sledge,  which  resulted  in  the  loss  from  it 
of  a  two-gallon  can  of  alcohol  and  the  breakage  and  leakage  of 
another.  This  accident  also  entailed  a  couple  of  hours'  delay  in 
an  unsuccessful  search  for  the  lost  alcohol. 

March  8th,  leaving  his  tent  standing,  Dr.  Pavy  proceeded 
with  his  party  to  the  shore,  two  miles  distant,  and  cached  the 
supplies  in  a  marked  break  in  the  coast,  midway  between  Capes 
Sumner  and  Lupton,  which  was  designated  as  the  "Gap."  The 
cache,  established  behind  an  erratic  block,  was  marked  by  a 
signal  flag,  which  Dr.  Pavy  says  was  planted  "  about  thirty 
or  forty  feet  above  the  ice-foot,  its  bright  red  color  forming  a 
striking  contrast  with  the  slab  of  Devonic  limestone  of  the 
neighborhood." 

The  trip  to  and  from  the  shore  had  been  made  in  a  storm, 
but  as  later  in  the  day  it  abated,  the  tent  was  struck  and  the 
party  started  homeward.  They  camped  on  a  floe  three  miles 
east  of  Cape  Beechy.  This  day's  trip  was  very  severe  and  un- 
comfortable, as  the  temperature  varied  from  —28°  (—33.3°  C.) 
to  —37°  (—38.3°  C.)  with  a  northeast  wind. 

During  the  night  an  incident  occurred  which  showed  the  con- 
siderateness  and  kind  heart  of  our  Eskimo  Jens  Edward.  Ser- 
geant Lynn  was  feeling  badly  on  entering  his  sleeping-bag,  and 
had  fallen  asleep  before  Jens  finished  his  work.  The  Eskimo, 
fearing  he  was  sick,  was  unwilling  to  disturb  him,  and  decided 


ESTABLISHING  DEPOTS.  229 

to  sleep  outside  the  bag,  without  covering  other  than  his  fur 
travelling  suit,  rather  than  awaken  his  comrade  to  his  dis- 
comfort. Although  the  temperature  outside  the  tent  sank  to 
—41.7°  (—  40.9°  C.),  the  ability  of  Jens  to  endure  cold  was  so 
great  that  he  escaped  with  but  one  toe  slightly  frost-bitten. 

The  party  reached  Conger  in  good  condition  March  9th. 
This  journey,  successfully  made  in  such  great  cold  and  strong 
wind,  reflected  credit  on  Dr.  Pavy's  energy  and  determination, 
and  that  officer  gave  due  credit  for  their  assistance  to  his  sub- 
ordinates, Lynn  and  Jens. 

On  March  13th  Sergeant  Brainard,  with  seven  men,  was  or- 
dered to  move  the  small  boat  Discovery,  with  such  additional 
supplies  as  could  be  hauled,  to  the  depot  to  be  used  at  or  near 
Cape  Sumner.  His  orders  required  him  to  follow  the  route 
recommended  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  and,  after  securely 
caching  the  boat  in  the  Gap,  to  establish  a  depot  of  provisions 
at  such  point  as  could  be  reached  in  Newman  Bay,  the  mouth 
of  the  Gap  valley  being  preferred.  He  was  also  to  build  a 
snow-house,  if  possible,  but  his  absence  was  not  to  exceed  six 
days.  His  closing  orders  read  : 

"  You  are  cautioned  particularly  against  travelling  in  stormy 
or  windy  weather,  and  you  will  frequently  question  your  party 
as  to  their  condition,  and  avoid  over-work.  I  trust  your  speedy 
and  safe  return  may  be  soon  noted.  You  must  bear  in  mind 
that  you  start  in  a  temperature  of  about  —  40°,  and  at  an  almost 
unparalleled  early  season  of  the  year." 

The  main  points  of  Sergeant  Brainard's  journey  are  taken 
from  his  field-journal.  They  started  on  a  clear,  calm  morning 
in  a  temperature  of  —37.3°  (—38.5°  C.).  The  load  of  over  a 
thousand  pounds  hanled  very  hard,  "  it  dragging  over  the  dry, 
soft  snow  with  about  the  same  noise  and  resistance  as  would 
have  been  experienced  over  a  sand-bank."  In  order  to  make 


230  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Depot  "  B  "  that  day,  Sergeant  Brainard  dropped  two  hundred 
pounds  of  pemmican  and  moved  quite  rapidly  to  Depot  "  A." 
There  they  stopped  thirteen  minutes  to  drink  some  chocolate 
taken  from  the  station  in  a  rubber  bag  wrapped  in  a  buffalo 
robe;  the  temperature  then  was  —44°  (—42.2°  C.).  After 
twelve  hours'  work,  during  which  they  travelled  twenty-five 
miles,  they  reached  Depot  "  B  "  in  an  almost  exhausted  condi- 
tion. Sergeant  Brainard  says :  "  On  our  arrival  the  tempera- 
ture was  —53.5°  (— 47.5°  C.).  "We  all  retired  early,  very  tired 
and  in  a  '  broken-up '  condition.  A  few  complained  during  the 
day  of  terrible  thirst,  but  there  being  no  remedy  for  them  they 
had  to  endure  it  as  best  they  could.  Those  who  are  excessive 
tobacco-chewers  were  the  most  affected." 

The  party  left  the  snow-house  (near  Cape  Beechy)  at  7.30 
A.M.,  March  15th,  the  temperature  standing  at  —50.5°  (—48.8° 
C.),  although  it  had  been  down  to  -61°  (-51.7°  C.)  a  few 
hours  previous.  A  bright,  beautiful  sunshine  with  calm  air 
made  travelling  quite  endurable.  Four  hours  and  a  half  of  hard 
work  brought -them  to  Cape  Beechy  and  to  the  rough  rubble 
ice. 

Here  the  very  hard  work  commenced ;  the  broken,  jagged 
pieces  of  ice  afforded  a  most  uncertain  and  precarious  foothold, 
while  the  irregularities  of  the  surfaces  rendered  hauling  doubly 
difficult.  By  dint  of  extraordinary  exertions  the  sledge  was  got 
through  the  rubble  to  a  palaeocrystic  floe,  but  the  rough  work 
necessitated  the  relashing  of  the  boat  on  the  sledge.  This  was 
trying  work,  not  so  much  for  the  active  handy  men,  who  hauled 
and  pulled  at  the  lashings  and  so  kept  warm  despite  a  tempera- 
ture of  —43.5°  ( — 41.9°  C.),  but  to  the  unemployed,  who 
danced  around  shivering  in  desperate  efforts  to  keep  their 
clothes,  damp  with  moisture,  from  freezing  to  the  rigidity  of 
brass.  As  they  moved  on,  the  uneven,  rolling  surface  of  the 


ESTABLISHING  DEPOTS".  231 

floe  was  covered  with  a  light  covering  of  snow,  jtfst  deep  enough 
to  require  the  men  to  plough  their  way  and  to  demand  every 
atom  of  their  strength  to  pull  the  sledge  through  it.  Occasion- 
ally a  bare  descending  bit  of  ice  came,  just  enough  in  extent  to 
force  the  exhausted  men  for  a  few  yards  into  an  accelerated 
pace  and  give  emphasis  to  the  jerk  which,  as  snow  came  to 
clog  the  runners,  a  moment  later  brought  all  up  standing.  After 
nearly  nine  hours  of  such  travel,  Sergeant  Brainard  concluded 
that  the  condition  of  the  men  was  such  as  to  render  camping 
necessary,  as  continued  pulling  without  food  or  drink  in  such 
low  temperatures  had  quite  exhausted  them.  The  temperature, 
then  at  -43.5°  (-41.9°  C.),  had  not  been  above  —40°  (-40° 
C.)  during  the  march. 

An  order  to  camp  is  obeyed  with  alacrity,  not  that  it  is  a 
comfortable  or  pleasant  thing  to  do,  but  because  work  of  any 
character  is  preferable  to  standing  quietly  around.  The  only 
continued  comfort  for  an  Arctic  sledger  is  while  he  is  engaged 
in  the  drag-ropes  hauling  a  fair  load  at  a  moderate  pace  over  a 
level  bit  of  ice. 

With  skilled  hands  the  sledge  is  rapidly  unlashed,  and  while 
the  main  party  sets  up  the  tent  the  evening  cook  is  searching 
out  a  blue-topped  berg,  from  which  to  get  his  ice  for  tea  and 
stew.  The  tent  is  well  pitched  on  a  proper  site,  which  prefera- 
bly is  a  level  snow-covered  bit  of  floe,  with  a  large  berg  near  to 
the  windward  to  break  the  force  of  any  sudden  gale.  If  snow 
cannot  be  found  suited  for  the  site  of  the  tent,  it  is  best  that 
snow  be  brought  and  strewed  within  it.  This  not  only  gives  a 
soft  bed,  but  a  comparatively  warm  one,  for  ice  is  almost  invari- 
ably colder  than  snow. 

The  rubber  tent-cloth  spread,  the  sleeping-bags  are  brought 
in  and  laid  down,  but  to  unroll  them  is  a  labor  of  love  demand- 
ing the  strength  of  a  Hercules.  The  moisture  which  exhaled 


232  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

the  night  before  from  the  body,  the  falling  spiculse  of  snow 
formed  that  morning  in  the  tent,  the  lingering  vapor  from  the 
stew,  and  the  drops  of  spilled  tea  have  all  insidiously  worked 
their  way  deep  into  the  tangled  hair,  and,  turning  to  ice,  have 
bound  fast  the  tightly  rolled  buffalo  bags.  Kow  they  are  more 
like  coils  of  rolled  sheet-iron  than  the  supple  well-tanned  skins 
they  are  supposed  to  be.  By  great  exertions  they  are  finally 
forced  apart,  and  the  wise  sledge  traveller,  be  his  wisdom  from 
book  or  experience,  seeks  them  at  the  earliest  moment. 

The  work  of  erecting  the  tent  and  opening  the  bags  has 
necessitated  the  use  of  the  bare  hands  in  a  measure,  and  han- 
dling these  articles,  colder  than  frozen  mercury,  is  like  handling 
hot  iron  which  burns  and  cracks  men's  fingers  and  hands.  The 
comparatively  light  work,  too,  has  checked  the  perspiration,  and 
with  stiffening  clothing  and  half -frozen  fingers  the  travellers, 
other  than  the  cook  and  commissary  sergeant,  sit  down  ;  and, 
carefully  brushing  the  snow  from  their  garments,  loosen  the 
lashings  and  take  off  overalls  and  foot-gear.  They  systematically 
arrange  these  in  the  shape  in  which  they  can  easiest  don  them, 
for  in  five  minutes  after  they  are  frozen  solid.  The  feet  are 
stripped  bare  and  a  pair  of  fresh  socks,  warm  from  the  man's 
breast,  are  put  on  and  covered  at  once  with  a  pair  of  large  dog- 
skin or  sheep-skin  sleeping-socks.  Crawling  into  their  bag 
their  chilled  limbs  gradually  thaw  out  the  frozen  skin,  and 
later  they  acquire  warmth  when  hot  tea  and  stew  come  to 
them. 

The  cook  meanwhile  has  obtained  his  ice,  both  for  morning 
and  evening  meal,  and  has  received  from  the  sergeant  the  care- 
fully measured  allowance  of  alcohol,  which  he  takes  with  a  dubi- 
ous shake  of  the  head,  as  he  sees  how  small  the  quantity  and 
how  much  work  it  is  expected  to  do.  His  ice  cut  too  coarsely 
or  mixed  with  too  much  snow,  and  the  wicks  half  an  inch  too 


ESTABLISHING   DEPQTS.  233 

high  or  too  low,  and  the  result  is  a  stew  mixed  with  ice,  or  tea 
just  steaming  and  uncooked. 

The  rations,  arranged  at  the  station,  are  served  out  with  the 
same  careful  exactness.  An  ounce  too  much  to-day  means 
shortage  to-morrow.  The  cooking  apparatus  carefully  placed 
level  on  a  board,  he  watches  it  with  the  utmost  caution,  for  the 
arrangement  is  such  that  carelessness,  or  perhaps  the  sudden 
movement  of  a  man  in  the  bag,  may  cause  a  pot  to  tip  and  the 
precious  allowance,  or  a  part  at  least,  to  be  lost.  An  hour  is  a 
moderate  time  in  which  to  cook  the  tea,  and  as  the  frozen, 
wretched  cook  watches  it  he  realizes  too  keenly  the  truth  of  the 
adage,  "  A  watched  pot  never  boils." 

If  he  has  inexperienced  comrades  they  sit  up  and  watch  with 
or  aid  him,  some  through  a  feeling  that  they  must  bear  a  hand, 
and  others  because  they  deem  it  unbefitting  soldiers  that  their 
meals  should  be  served  them  in  their  beds.  They  do  not  realize, 
until  taught  by  bitter  experience,  that  it  is  best  that  all  this 
hardship  and  suffering  should  be  avoided  by  all  save  the  cook, 
and  the  strength  of  the  party  thus  be  conserved. 

The  pot  finally  boils,  and  instantly  it  is  served  to  the  weary 
men ;  some  of  whom,  overcome  by  the  exhausting  labors  of  the 
day,  have  dropped  off  into  a  sleep,  and  are  doubtful  whether  to 
be  vexed  or  pleased  that  they  are  recalled  to  a  sense  of  cold  and 
weariness.  The  steaming  tea  and  stew  are  served,  the  clouds  of 
vapor  change  to  falling  snow;  the  weary  men,  refreshed  by  their 
meal,  crawl  down  in  their  bags,  to  be  followed  by  the  cook  as 
soon  as  he  can  arrange  his  lamp  and  pot  and  tie  up  the  tent 
securely. 

The  night,  or  rather  the  hours  set  for  sleep,  passes  slowly. 
Crowded  two  or  three  into  one  bag,  all  must  be  awakened  and 
turn  together  whenever  cramp  or  cold  renders  one  so  uncomfort- 
able that  he  must  change  his  position.  Stiffness,  aches,  rheu- 


234  THREE  YEAES   OP  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

matic  pains,  cold,  and  cramps  fall  to  every  one's  lot  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent.  Nobody  is  sorry,  save  the  cook,  when  the  officer 
calls  that  unfortunate  person,  whose  only  comfort  is  the  reflec- 
tion that  his  service  passes  with  that  meal,  as  the  cooking  is 
done  in  turn. 

In  the  morning  the  same  routine  is  gone  through  with,  modi- 
fied at  times  by  some  depraved  article  of  footgear,  which,  frozen 
into  metal-like  hardness,  will  not  be  coaxed  or  forced  on  to  the 
foot  until  it  has  been  taken  literally  to  one's  heart  and  thawed 
out  by  the  heat  of  the  body.  The  slowness  with  which  the 
party  breaks  camp  makes  everybody  wretched  and  ill-humored 
until  a  short  hour's  march  has  thawed  travelling  gear  and  hu- 
man nature  into  tractable  mood. 

With  the  temperature  75°  (  —40.7°  C.)  or  more  below  the 
freezing  point  of  water,  it  seems  to  me  surprising  even  now  that 
men  can  ever  do  and  endure  such  work  and  exposure.  Only 
those  of  perfect  health,  iron  constitution,  and  marked  deter- 
mination are  capable  of  continued  work  under  such  conditions. 
This  account  of  a  march  and  camp  is  a  fair  description  (under- 
drawn if  anything)  of  the  experiences  of  a  sledging  party  fa- 
vored by  fine  weather  and  ordinary  travel.  When  storm  and 
snow  come  to  blind,  wet,  and  buffet  the  wretched  travellers, 
their  miseries  cannot  be  described  in  words.  Such  conditions 
as  above  must  be  imagined  as  the  common  experience  of  all 
Arctic  travellers  until  zero  temperatures  (—17.8°  C.)  come  with 
May,  bringing  other  discomforts  not  much  less  serious. 

On  the  morning  of  March  16th,  the  temperature,  which  had 
fallen  during  the  night  to  -44°  (-42.2°  C.),  had  risen  to  —40° 
(—40°  C.),  but  a  brisk  northeast  wind  rendered  travel  danger- 
ous. At  9  A.M.,  however,  the  wind  subsided  somewhat,  and 
Sergeant  Brainard  decided  to  start.  His  journal  says:  "Last 
night  Schneider  was  very  lame,  and  complained  of  rheumatic 


ESTABLISHING  DEPOTS.  235 

pains  and  inability  to  sleep.  He  was  a  very  indifferent  traveller 
during  the  entire  day.  This  morning  he  complains  bitterly 
of  the  condition  of  his  legs,  and  is  scarcely  able  to  walk  about 
the  tent.  His  condition  is  so  much  worse  that  I  consider  it  the 
most  prudent  course  to  send  him  back  to  Depot  l  B/  accom- 
panied by  Biederbick,  who  is  a  capital  nurse." 

Owing  to  diminished  force,  about  two  hundred  pounds  were 
left  at  this  camp,  including  a  day's  rations  for  the  return  jour- 
ney. Light  drifting  snow  obliged  them  to  encamp  about  five 
miles  from  the  Greenland  coast.  Sergeant  Brainard  says  : 
"  We  fortunately  travelled  all  day  over  the  same  palaeocrystic 
floe  as  yesterday.  Our  tent  is  now  pitched  in  a  sheltered 
position,  which  screens  us  from  the  heavily  drifting  snow,  but 
does  not  help  us  with  regard  to  our  greatest  foe, — the  low 
temperature,  which,  though  at  one  time  as  high  as  —33° 
(-35.1°  C.),  has  fallen  again  to  -39°  (-39.4°  C.)." 

The  morning  of  the  7th  was  clear  and  calm,  with  a  minimum 
of  -43°  (-41.7°  C.).  Says  Sergeant  Brainard,  "  Seeing  that  it 
is  impossible  to  reach  Kewman  Bay  within  the  time  allotted  me, 
owing  to  the  greatly  reduced  strength  of  the  sledge-party  and 
the  increasing  roughness  of  the  ice,  I  decided  to  leave  our  tent 
standing,  and  to  transport  the  boat  and  supplies  to  Depot  '  E,' 
established  by  Dr.  Pavy  a  few  days  before  in  the  Gap.  That 
done  we  would  return  to  Fort  Conger." 

A  little  over  four  hours'  travel  brought  them  to  the  cache. 
Brainard  continues :  "We  placed  the  boat  beside  a  huge  rock  and 
fastened  her  down  securely  with  boxes,  rocks,  etc.,  first  placing 
hard  bread,  medical  knapsack,  etc.,  under  her  to  prevent  them 
from  being  blown  away.  We  began  the  excavation  of  snow- 
house,  but  the  increasing  wind  compelled  us  to  abandon  the  work 
and  seek  our  own  safety."  They  were  none  too  soon,  for  "  the 
storm  meanwhile  increasing  in  violence  obliterated  entirely  our 


236  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

trail  at  times,  and  prevented  us  from  seeing  more  than  a  few  yards 
in  advance.  The  wind  was  fortunately  at  our  backs,  but  frequent 
frost-bites  of  noses  and  cheeks  were  experienced  before  we 
reached  the  tent,  in  an  exhausted  state,  after  nearly  eight  hours' 
absence.  5.30  P.M.,"  says  the  field- journal,  "  we  are  now  sit- 
ting in  our  sleeping-bags,  with  all  sleeping-gear  on,  receiving  hot 
chocolate  from  the  cook.  We  congratulate  ourselves  on  reaching 
the  tent  as  we  did,  for  the  wind  has  increased  to  a  gale,  and  the 
air  is  so  full  of  drifting  snow  that  objects  a  hundred  yards  distant 
cannot  be  distinguished.  St.  Patrick  was  honored  this  evening 
by  a  few  songs  from  'The  Wild  Irishman.'"  Singing  songs 
when  sheltered  only  by  a  light  tent  from  a  drifting  gale  and  a 
temperature  lower  than  —40°  (—40°  C.)  was  a  fair  sample  of 
the  indomitable  spirit  and  unvarying  cheerfulness  of  the  men 
of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay  Expedition. 

On  March  18th,  the  morning  temperature  of  —43.2°  (—41.8° 
C.)  rose  before  starting  homewards  to  —41°  (—40.6°  C.). 
After  six  hours'  travel  camp  was  made,  in  order  that  a  few  hours' 
work  should  be  devoted  to  collecting  at  that  point  some  scat- 
tered stores  near  by.  The  drifting  snow  of  the  preceding  day 
had  forced  itself  into  their  travelling-gear,  and  Sergeant  Brain- 
ard  says  :  "  Our  buffalo  sleeping-bags  are  so  badly  frozen  that 
at  this  camp  the  men  were  compelled  to  thaw  themselves  into 
them  or  go  without  sleep.  They  chose  the  former  evil  without 
giving  it  much  thought,  and  passed  a  most  wretched  night  in 
consequence."  The  next  day  they  reached  Depot  "  B,"  where 
Schneider  and  Beiderbick  were  found  in  good  condition.  On 
the  20th  they  returned  to  Fort  Conger  thoroughly  worn  out, 
but  in  excellent  spirits. 

This  sledge  journey  was  a  remarkable  one,  and  exhibited  not 
only  Sergeant  Brainard's  executive  ability  and  good  judgment 
in  a  strong  light,  but  also  proved  the  mettle  and  strength  of  the 


ESTABLISHING   DEPOTS. 


237 


general  party.  This  journey  involved  an  average  daily  march 
of  about  seventeen  miles  for  six  successive  days  in  a  mean  tem- 
perature of  —41°  (—40.6°  C.).  Notwithstanding  the  inability 
of  one  man  to  withstand  the  hard  work  in  such  extreme  cold, 
the  trip  was  successful ;  and  all,  including  Schneider,  returned 
well,  though  troubled  with  slight  frost-bites. 

The  lowest  mean  temperature  experienced  by  McClintock  in 
his  ten  sledge  journeys  was  —30°  (—34.4°  C.),  when  in  twenty- 
five  days  he  made,  with  a  dog-team,  the  same  average  distance 
as  this  party,  and  at  a  correspondingly  early  time  of  the  year. 


Devil's  Head  (The  Bellows  Valley). 
[June,  1883.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 

NORTHWARD  OVER    THE  FROZEN  SEA. 
(DR.  PAVY'S  NORTHERN  JOURNEY.) 

A  FEW  days  later  Dr.  Pavy  was  sent  northward  in  an  at- 
-^^  tempt  to  reach  land  to  the  northward  of  Cape  Joseph 
Henry.  From  his  experience  gained  along  the  Grinnell  Land 
coast  the  preceding  autumn,  he  was  convinced  that  he  would  be 
able  to  proceed  a  long  distance  northward  over  the  Polar  Ocean, 
and  was  confident  that  land  would  eventually  be  discovered  in 
that  direction.  "While  doubtful  of  the  existence  of  land  to  the 
southward  of  the  eighty-fifth  parallel,  I  considered  it  important 
that  no  chance  of  geographical  success  should  be  neglected,  and 
consequently  assigned  one  of  my  dog-teams  to  Dr.  Pavy  for  this 
special  work.  He  was  given  the  services  of  Sergeant  Rice,  the 
photographer  of  the  expedition,  who  had  also  volunteered  for 
the  trip,  and  Eskimo  Jens  Edward.  These  two  men,  selected 
by  Dr.  Pavy  as  his  assistants,  were  gifted  with  remarkable 
physical  powers  and  such  aptitude  of  resource  as  particularly 
fitted  them  for  the  work. 

The  most  important  clauses  of  my  instructions  to  Dr.  Pavy 
read  :  "  The  details  of  your  journey  and  the  route  to  be  followed 
northward  from  Lincoln  Bay  are  left  to  your  judgment  and 
arrangement.  I  deem  it  important,  however,  to  invite  your 
especial  attention  to  the  route  across  Feilden  Peninsula  and 
James  Ross  Bay  to  Cape  Hecla.  While  overland  travel  is 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE  FROZEN  SEA.  239 

usually  objectionable,  the  experiences  of  the  English  expedition, 
1875-76,  as  well  as  that  of  your  own  journeys,  indicate  that 
travelling  is  thus  facilitated  when  the  party  can  avoid  any  con- 
siderable distance  of  the  polar  pack.  .  .  .  4th.  You  are  to 
bear  in  mind  that  in  no  instance  must  your  party  be  separated  ; 
that  the  exact  location  of  depots  must  be  made  known  to  each 
member  ;  that  no  advance  must  be  made  beyond  such  time  as, 
on  full  allowance,  one-half  of  your  provisions  have  been  con- 
sumed ;  and  that  in  case  of  any  considerable  movement  of  the 
ice,  or  on  the  appearance  of  any  lanes  of  water,  you  must  at 
once  seek  the  main-land.  .  .  .  6th.  In  case  no  land  is 
reached,  one  day  must  be  devoted  at  your  most  northerly  point 
to  determining  your  position  with  the  greatest  care,  and  in  ob- 
taining detailed  information  as  to  the  depth  of  the  sea,  the 
temperature  of  the  water,  the  tidal  currents,  the  thickness  of 
the  new  ice,  and  any  other  available  data.  "Whenever  you  are 
obliged  to  rest  your  team  a  day,  similar  observations  should  be 
made.  .  .  .  9th.  A  careful  lookout  will  be  kept  for  drift- 
wood, and  if  any  fragments  that  could  possibly  have  belonged 
to  a  ship  be  noted,  it  must  be  brought  to  the  station  .  .  . 
for  identification.  It  is  possible  that  some  tidings  of  the  Jean- 
nette  may  thus  be  obtained.  In  accordance  with  your  wishes, 
no  special  anxiety  will  be  felt  for  your  party  until  June  1st. 
Trusting  that  your  earnest  enthusiasm  for  polar  exploration, 
united  to  your  practical  experience,  .  .  .  will  insure  all 
possible  success,  and  wishing  beyond  all  your  safe  return,  I 
am,  etc." 

The  party  left  on  March  19th  with  a  team  of  excellent  dogs. 
It  seemed  to  me,  then,  an  excellent  opportunity  of  ascertaining 
the  capabilities  of  a  dog-team,  by  noting  the  constant  weights 
of  the  sledge,  the  weight  of  the  dogs  on  going  and  returning, 
and  the  food  issued  to  them  daily.  Through  a  misunderstand- 


240 


THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


ing  of  my  instructions  the  dogs  were  not  weighed  after  return- 
ing,  nor  were  the  constant  weights  determined. 

Dr.  Pavy's  team  had  been  used  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating 


Dr.  Pavy's  Party  Starting  North,  March  19,  if 
[From  photograph  by  Sergt.  Rice.] 


Lieutenant  Lockwood's  work  on  the  Xorth  Greenland  coast,  and 
to  assist  this  section  Sergeant  Jewell  was  in  turn  detached,  with 
the  dog-sledge  Antoinette,  driven  by  Eskimo  Christiansen,  which 
was  to  serve  as  a  supporting  sledge  as  far  as  Lincoln  Bay,  where 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE   FROZEN   SEA.  241 

the  remains  of  the  English  depot  of  1875  served  as  a  base  for 
Dr.  Pavy's  subsequent  operations.  Sergeant  Jewell,  on  his  re- 
turn, was  to  bring  south  to  Depot  "  B  "  two  hundred  pounds  of 
Australian  beef  and  certain  small  stores. 

In  order  that  Sergeant  Jewell  might  carry  as  large  a  load  as 
possible,  he  was  provided  with  no  tent,  but  was  directed  to 
avail  himself  at  Depot  "  B  "  of  the  snow-house,  and  while  jour- 
neying from  that  point  to  Lincoln  Bay  and  return  he  was  to 
shelter  himself  by  snow-house  or  "  dug-out." 

The  party  left  in  a  temperature  of  —25°  (—31.7°  C.),  and 
the  trip  northward  was  comfortably  made  in  about  that  mean 
temperature,  although  while  at  Depot  "  B  "  a  temperature  of 
—41°  (—40.6°  C.)  was  recorded.  From  Cape  Beechy  to  the 
north  side  of  "Wrangel  Bay  the  ice  was  largely  rubble  and 
rough  hummocks,  which  made  progress  slow  and  tedious,  and 
necessitated  three  days'  journey  where  two  had  been  estimated. 

Sergeant  Jewell  left  Lincoln  Bay  for  Depot  "  B  "  on  the 
23d,  having  been  furnished  with  but  one  hundred  and  sixty-four 
pounds  of  beef  instead  of  two  hundred  as  ordered  in  writing. 
His  journey  southward  was  made  under  very  trying  conditions 
and  in  very  low  temperatures.  On  leaving  Lincoln  Bay  the 
temperature  stood  at  about  —40°  (—40.6°  C.),  but  fell  steadily 
during  the  day,  and  registered  —53°  (—47.2°  C.)  during  the 
night.  He  was  fortunate  in  finding  large  snow-drifts  just  south 
of  Wrangel  Bay,  where  he  passed  a  tolerably  comfortable  night 
in  a  snow-hut.  The  following  day,  travelling  in  temperatures 
which  ranged  from  -45°  (-42.8°  C.)  to  -49°  (-45°  C.),  he 
reached  Depot  "  B,"  where  orders  had  been  sent  him  to  carry 
out  instructions  from  Lieutenant  Lockwood  regarding  the  trans- 
portation of  stores  from  Depot  "  B  "  to  the  Greenland  coast. 

From  March  25th  to  30th  Sergeant  Jewell,  assisted  for  a 

portion  of  the  time  by  Private  Ellis,  was   engaged  with  his 
16 


242  THREE  YEARS    OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

sledge  in  accumulating  stores  on  the  Greenland  coast.  There 
was  no  day  on  which  the  temperature  did  not  fall  as  low  as 
_40°  (-40°  C.),  and  on  four  days  —50°  (-45.6°  C.)  and 
—51°  (—46.1°  C.)  were  recorded.  The  mean  temperature  in 
which  this  work  was  done  was  about  —40°  (—40°  C.). 

On  March  27th  Sergeant  Jewell  was  deprived  of  the  services  of 
Private  Ellis,  who,  when  sent  to  aid  him  from  the  home  station, 
to  Depot"  B,"  had  unfortunately  wet  his  feet  from  tidal  overflow 
during  the  journey.  Not  exercising  the  proper  precaution  of 
changing  his  foot-gear,  Ellis'  imprudence  resulted  in  his  being 
seriously,  though  superficially,  frost-bitten.  Notwithstanding 
his  condition,  he  made  a  journey,  March  25th  and  26th,  from 
Depot  "  B  "  to  the  Greenland  coast  and  back,  and  then,  in  order 
not  to  interfere  with  the  work,  insisted  on  Sergeant  Jewell  per- 
mitting him  to  return  to  the  station  alone.  Private  Ellis  showed 
remarkable  fortitude  and  determination  during  the  whole  affair, 
which  was  especially  creditable  to  him. 

On  the  30th,  the  barometer  having  fallen  below  29.00  and 
fearing  a  violent  storm,  Sergeant  Jewell  prudently  concluded  it 
best  to  return  to  the  station,  rather  than  to  venture  another  trip 
to  the  Greenland  coast. 

In  the  performance  of  this  extraordinary  work  Sergeant 
Jewell  showed  an  endurance  and  fortitude  which  surprised 
many,  as  his  physique  was  but  medium.  He  justified  every 
confidence  placed  in  his  faithfulness,  energy,  and  judgment 
then  and  afterward.  He  crossed  Robeson  Channel  six  times 
during  March,  and  ten  times  during  his  service — more  frequent- 
ly than  any  other  member  of  the  expedition,  except  Eskimo 
Christiansen. 

In  connection  with  his  own  trip  to  Lincoln  Bay,  Dr.  Pavy 
reported  that  north  of  Cape  Beechy  the  ice-foot  became  so 
encumbered  with  grounded  floe-bergs  that  his  party  was  com- 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE  FROZEN   SEA.  243 

pelled  to  take  to  the  floe-ice,  notwithstanding  its  difficult  char- 
acter. On  leaving  the  shore  they  passed  footprints  of  recent 
origin,  made  by  a  well-grown  bear  who  was  travelling  south. 

Dr.  Pavy  passed  his  cache  in  Wrangel  Bay  without  visiting 
it,  but  proceeded  to  the  depot  near  Mount  Parry,  on  reaching 
which  the  tracks  of  the  bear  were  again  fallen  in  with.  The 
bear  had  evidently  stopped  for  lunch,  and  had  shown  discrim- 
ination in  his  selection  of  the  food.  The  sacks  of  bread  had 
been  torn  open,  and  the  bags  torn  into  shreds,  but  the  bread 
was  left  untasted.  The  pemmican  covering  had  been  stripped 
off,  and  about  two-thirds  of  it  (some  seventy  pounds  in  quantity) 
had  been  eaten. 

After  Sergeant  Jewell  left,  on  the  23d,  a  comfortable  snow- 
house  was  built,  to  serve  as  their  headquarters  until  the  last 
load  of  provisions  to  be  used  in  the  northern  trip  had  been  car- 
ried beyond  Black  Cape. 

At  this  camp  Old  Sneak — one  of  the  team — displayed  his 
faculty  for  avoiding  work.  When  in  harness  he  did  his  duty, 
for  he  well  knew  that  Jens'  keen  eye  was  on  him,  and  that  his 
slackened  trace  would  be  followed  by  the  driver's  lash,  thrown 
with  such  force  and  precision  as  to  make  the  thick  fur  fly  from 
any  selected  spot.  When  the  food  had  been  given  out  Sneak 
was  on  hand,  as  always  on  similar  occasions,  but  the  loaded 
sledge  with  the  team  in  harness  waited  on  him  alone.  A 
thorough  search  failed  to  find  him,  and  fearing  that  some  article 
left  behind  in  the  snow-hut  might  suffer  from  him,  Jens  en- 
tered the  house  to  secure  the  food,  and  there  found  the  truant 
quietly  awaiting  their  departure. 

On  March  24th,  having  perfected  his  arrangements,  Dr. 
Pavy  started  north,  but  a  southeast  breeze  with  a  temperature 
of  —36.5°  (  —  38.1°  C.)  drove  the  party  to  camp  near  Cape 
Union,  where  they  were  storm-stayed  for  twenty-two  hours. 


244  THEEE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Dr.  Pavy  expressed  the  opinion,  that  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape 
Union,  owing  to  the  escarpment  of  the  cliffs,  the  coast  could 
never  be  practicable  for  fall  travelling,  as  in  places  dogs  could 
not  travel,  and  in  others  the  conditions  were  such  as  to  be  im- 
practicable even  for  men.  Three  times  in  one  day  his  party 
was  driven  from  the  ice-foot,  and  once  was  compelled  to  lower 
the  sledge  by  the  dog-traces  over  a  high  and  perpendicular  ice- 
foot. Though  the  ice  was  level  in  most  places,  yet  a  thin  crust 
of  snow,  mixed  with  the  salty  efflorescence  from  the  sea-ice,  im- 
paired the  progress  of  the  party  by  the  extreme  friction  it  caused 
the  sledges. 

At  3  P.M.  of  the  25th  the  temperature  moderated  to  —27° 
(  —  32.8°  C.),  and  enabled  them  to  resume  their  journey,  but  the 
ice  was  found  exceedingly  broken  and  uneven,  and  in  one  place 
for  a  hundred  yards  the  sledge  and  load  had  to  be  transported 
by  hand. 

In  connection  with  this  day's  journey  Dr.  Pavy  says :  "  I 
will  farther  say,  that  to  my  belief  the  Eskimo  are  indis- 
pensable for  extended  sledge  journeys.  Their  experience  in 
managing  dogs,  and  the  apparent  facility  with  which  they  can 
drive  at  once  over  difficulties  where  the  best  of  their  inexperi- 
enced Caucasian  pupils  will  fail  or  labor  for  long  hours,  put  the 
usefulness  of  their  services  out  of  the  question.  Moreover, 
their  endurance  to  cold  will  allow  them  to  perform  the  many 
duties  of  a  driver  with  bare  hands,  and  in  half  of  the  time  that 
it  would  take  to  freeze  ours.  The  history  of  Arctic  work,  from 
Wrangel  to  this  day,  will  bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  all  dog- 
sledging  expeditions  that  have  used  natives  as  drivers,  or  per- 
haps their  best  substitutes  (I  mean  men  trained  for  years  to  the 
work),  have  succeeded  with  comparative  ease.  I  think  that  Sir 
George  Nares,  on  his  homeward  journey,  must  have  reflected 
more  fully  on  the  usefulness  of  dogs  and  their  drivers." 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE   FROZEN   SEA.  245 

I  can  scarcely  concur  in  the  ideas  thus  put  forward  by  Dr. 
Pavy  in  his  official  report.  My  opinion  in  this  respect  was  also 
shared  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  Sergeant  Brainard,  who 
made  the  only  successful  explorations  with  dog-sledges  during 
our  two  years'  services.  The  utility  of  the  Eskimo  dog  as  an 
Arctic  draught  animal  is  beyond  doubt ;  an  opinion  in  which  I 
am  sure  Sir  George  Nares  and  his  experienced  officers  will 
heartily  concur.  But  when  it  is  stated  that  the  Eskimo  is  indis- 
pensable for  extended  sledge  journeys,  I  must  thoroughly  dissent. 
The  valuable  Arctic  papers  for  the  expedition  of  1875  contain 
the  opinion  of  Baron  von  "VVrangel  "  On  the  best  means  of 
reaching  the  Pole,"  in  which  he  advocates  the  employment  of  dogs 
"  and  active  and  courageous  drivers."  The  note  attached  to  that 
paper,  whether  Wrangel's  or  the  accomplished  editor's,  well 
says  that  success  would  be  doubtful  with  Eskimo  or  Tchouktschi 
drivers — men  without  courage  or  activity.  Our  Eskimo  drivers 
could  not  be  excelled  in  their  race  for  bravery,  energy,  and  activ- 
ity, but  Lockwood  and  Brainard  would  never  have  reached  their 
farthest  point  had  they  depended  on  the  courage  and  activity  of 
their  dog-driver,  whom  it  was  needful  to  incite  to  continued  ex- 
ertions. This  is  no  reflection  upon  the  courage  of  these  men, 
who  are  unable  to  appreciate  the  object  of  these  journeys,  and 
who  are  necessarily  depressed  on  outward  marches  owing  to  the 
diminishing  supply  of  food,  which  to  them  forbodes  hardships 
and  sufferings,  if  not  dangers. 

The  most  perilous  and  remarkable  sledge  journeys  in  con- 
nection with  the  British  expedition  of  1875  and  1876  were 
made  without  the  aid  or  assistance  of  Eskimo  drivers.  At 
the  very  point  where  Dr.  Pavy's  party  was  then  struggling, 
and  under  similar  unfavorable  ice  conditions,  was  made  the 
memorable  sledge  journey,  March  12  to  15, 1876,  in  which  those 
heroic  officers,  Lieutenants  Kawson  and  Egerton,  R.N.,  dis- 


246  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

played  such  fortitude,  endurance,  and  unselfish  energy  in  their 
efforts  to  save  the  life  of  a  Danish  dog-driver  from  the  Green- 
land settlements.  These  young  English  officers  gave  of  their  heat 
and  life  to  save  this  denizen  of  an  Arctic  coast.  Later  the  same 
officers,  with  no  Eskimo,  but  with  British  sailors,  made  success- 
fully, in  temperatures  as  low  as  —42°  (—41.1°  C.),  the  trip  from 
Floeberg  Beach  to  Discovery  Harbor  and  back  in  ten  sledging 
days — journeys  which  compare  favorably  with  our  own  success- 
ful work. 

In  our  own  expedition  the  successful  raising,  breaking,  and 
training  for  field  services  of  our  Eskimo  dogs  born  at  Conger 
were  due  to  the  intelligent  and  zealous  efforts  of  Private 
Schneider,  who,  after  an  experience  of  several  months,  drove 
nearly  as  well  as  an  Eskimo. 

The  ability  of  the  Eskimo  to  endure  privation  and  hardships 
has  been  greatly  overrated.  Successful  resistance  to  conditions  of 
cold  and  privation  by  men  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  race  and 
original  habitat,  but  depends  to  a  greater  extent  than  is  usually 
acknowledged  upon  the  moral  force  and  mental  determination  of 
the  individual.  The  subsequent  experience  at  Cape  Sabine  in 
the  case  of  Eskimo  and  Caucasian,  with  the  same  food  and  in 
pursuit  of  the  same  object — game  or  relief  for  the  party — 
instances  this.  In  the  trip  toward  Littleton  Island  Sergeant 
Rice  returned  in  fair  physical  condition,  while  Eskimo  Jens  was 
completely  exhausted.  The  same  relative  difference  in  their 
condition  was  noted  between  Sergeant  Long  and  Eskimo  Chris- 
tiansen on  their  return  from  the  unsuccessful  hunt  for  game  in 
Alexandra  Harbor.  Another  illustrative  instance  between  Rice 
and  Jens  occurred  in  this  very  trip  of  Dr.  Pavy's. 

The  26th  to  28th  were  occupied  in  the  moving  of  a  second 
load  from  Lincoln  Bay  to  Black  Cape,  the  party  experiencing 
temperatures  from  -11.5°  (-24.2°  C.)  to  -44°  (-42.2°  C.),  and 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE   FROZEN   SEA.  247 

on  the  29th  reached  Lincoln  Bay  again.  The  first  glaze  on  the 
snow  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  was  noted  on  the  28th,  the  high- 
est temperature  noted  having  been  —11.5°  (24.2°  C.),  and  on 
the  29th  the  party  discarded  their  jumpers  as  too  warm  while 
travelling.  On  March  30th  the  temperature,  which  had  stood  at 
-52°  (-46.7°  C.)  the  previous  night,  rose  to  -8.5°  (-22.5°  C.). 
As  a  severe  storm  with  drifting  snow  prevailed,  the  party  re- 
mained comfortably  in  the  hut  during  the  day,  improving  the 
delay  by  drying  and  repairing  their  boots  and  clothing. 

On  the  evening  of  March  31st  the  party,  in  a  temperature  of 
-38.8°  (—39.3°  C.),  left  Lincoln  Bay  with  its  last  load  north- 
ward, and  when  within  a  short  distance  of  Cape  Union  the 
right  runner  of  the  sledge  broke  longitudinally  through  the 
lashing  holes.  Sergeant  Rice  offered  to  return  to  Conger 
for  a  new  runner,  and  started  at  once,  accompanied  by 
Eskimo  Jens ;  the  temperature  then  being  —42°  (—41.1°  C.). 
They  took  a  small  spirit-lamp  to  melt  ice  with,  a  small  quantity 
of  preserved  meat  and  chocolate  for  a  lunch,  and  also  the  steel 
shoe  of  the  runner.  The  journey  was  made  to  Depot  "B," 
about  four  miles  south  of  Cape  Beechy,  in  one  march.  Be- 
tween the  cape  and  depot  Rice  says  that  Jens,  for  whom  he 
had  repeatedly  stopped,  was  so  exhausted  that,  despite  all  per- 
suasion, he  was  obliged  to  stop  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of 
the  depot,  and  he  reached  that  point  fifteen  minutes  after 
Rice's  arrival.  Sergeant  Rice  modestly  said :  "Doubtless  Jens' 
exhaustion  was  due  to  the  greater  exertions  he  made,  and  worry 
he  had  undergone  in  getting  the  dogs,  with  broken  sledge,  back 
to  Lincoln  Bay,  for  I  am  sure  that  his  powers  of  endurance  are 
greater  than  my  own."  The  inarch  from  Lincoln  Bay  to 
Depot  "  B  "  occupied  nineteen  hours,  and  involved  at  least  forty 
miles'  travelling,  and  possibly  farther,  owing  to  the  extremely 
tortuous  path  they  were  obliged  to  pursue.  The  party  reached 


248  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Conger  on  the  3d,  at  7  A.M.,  and,  being  furnished  with  a  new 
runner,  left  on  the  4th. 

The  presence  of  Lieutenant  Lock  wood  enabled  me  to  send 
the  runner  to  Cape  Beechy,  relieving  Rice  and  Jens  thus  far, 
but  beyond  that  point  they  were  obliged  to  carry  it.  In  return- 
ing, the  trip  was  made  from  Depot  "  B  "  to  Lincoln  Bay  in  nine- 
teen hours,  they  following  the  inside  route  by  the  way  of  Wran- 
gel  Bay,  where  the  depot  of  provisions  left  the  previous  autumn 
was  found  in  good  condition,  unvisited  by  the  bear. 

Dr.  Pavy,  during  the  absence  of  Rice  and  Jens,  travelled  a 
short  distance  inland  over  the  high  hills  to  the  westward  of 
Lincoln  Bay,  in  the  hopes  of  discovering  whether  an  inland 
route  could  not  be  found  which  would  allow  a  party  to  travel  at 
any  time  from  Wrangel  Bay  to  Floeberg  Beach. 

Dr.  Pavy  says  :  "  At  the  highest  point  reached,  which  I  esti- 
mated to  be  about  two  thousand  feet,  I  had  a  magnificent  view, 
especially  overland.  From  the  head  of  Lincoln  Bay  several 
valleys  could  be  seen,  which,  succeeding  to  each  other,  appeared 
to  lead  toward  Wrangel  Bay.  In  another  direction,  northeast,  I 
could  distinctly  see  a  succession  of  sloping  hills  cut  with  ravines 
and  valleys.  1  think  it  is  possible  to  reach  the  coast  at  the 
entrance  of  some  of  the  numerous  openings  near  Floeberg 
Beach."  Between  the  United  States  range  and  a  lower  chain 
of  mountains  nearer  to  the  coast,  Dr.  Pavy  thought  it  probable 
that  a  long  and  extensive  valley  existed  trending  from  the  north- 
east to  the  southwest. 

Lincoln  Bay  was  finally  left  on  the  evening  of  April  6th,  the 
party  selecting  night  travel,  as  was  generally  recommended  to 
field  parties.  High  winds  drove  them  to  camp  part  of  the  7th 
and  until  the  evening  of  the  8th,  when  on  starting,  "  the  wind," 
Dr.  Pavy  says,  "  was  blowing  such  a  gale  that  in  places,  over 
good  ice  glazed  by  snow,  it  pushed  the  sledge  faster  than  the 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE  FROZEN   SEA.  249 

dogs  could  run."  On  this  day  the  temperature  rose  to  +4.8° 
(—15.2°  C.),  being  the  same  day  on  which  the  temperature  was 
first  observed  to  be  above  zero  at  the  home  station. 

The  party  was  delayed  by  high  winds  on  the  10th,  which 
drove  them  to  camp,  and  on  the  following  day  the  rough  and 
difficult  ice  obliged  them  to  move  their  load  by  hand  nearly  a 
thousand  yards.  The  temperature  was  so  mild  on  the  10th  that 
liice  and  Jens  slept  out-of-doors,  though  Dr.  Pavy  occupied  the 
snow-house. 

The  Alert  winter-quarters  were  reached  on  April  llth.  Of  the 
approach  Dr.  Pavy  says  :  "  A  heavy  lead-colored  sky,  contrast- 
ing fearfully  with  the  whiteness  of  the  freshly  drifted  snow, 
lent  to  the  surrounding  landscape  a  gloomy  appearance.  From 
a  distance  we  could  see  a  large  cairn  on  top  of  the  Alert's  look- 
out, and  lower,  on  the  brow  of  a  smaller  hill,  some  dark  object, 
which  at  first  we  took  for  a  cache,  but  was  soon  found  to  be  the 
tomb  of  Petersen.  Beneath  the  large  stone  that  covers  the  re- 
mains of  the  Danish  interpreter  a  hare  had  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence, strangely  associating  the  fact  of  his  presence  with  the 
words  of  the  epitaph  engraved  on  a  copper  plate  at  the  head 
of  the  tomb,  '  He  shall  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  as  white  as 
snow.' " 

From  the  lookout  hill  at  the  Alert  quarters,  as  far  as  could  be 
seen,  the  pack  consisted  of  crowded  masses  of  rough  and  hum- 
mocky  ice  similar  to  that  described  by  the  officers  of  the  Alert. 
Dr.  Pavy  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  ice  in  that  neighborhood 
had  broken  up  and  that  the  coast-water  had  been  possibly  navi- 
gable the  preceding  autumn,  but  at  great  risk  and  danger. 

Referring  to  the  grounded  bergs,  which  in  1875-76  pro- 
tected the  Alert  from  the  destructive  pressure  of  the  polar 
pack,  he  says  :  "  This  spring  no  floe-berg  could  be  seen  around 
the  place  where  the  Alert  must  have  dropped  her  anchor  in 


250  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

1875.  No  signs  of  palaeocrystic  ice  were  observed  closer  than 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  coast." 

The  temperature  then  was  above  zero  (—17.8°  C.),  and  for 
them,  heavily  clothed,  the  weather  was  so  warm  that  when 
travelling,  even  in  shirt-sleeves,  they  perspired  freely. 

Referring  to  the  cairn  at  the  Alert  winter-quarters,  Dr.  Pavy 
says :  "  About  five  feet  from  the  ground  a  large  iron  cylinder, 
sealed  probably  by  the  engineers  of  the  ship,  and  in  which  are 
secured  the  documents  of  the  British  expedition,  is  so  firmly 
held  by  an  enormous  weight  of  stones  that  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  tear  down  half  of  the  monument  to  get  at  its  contents. 
.  .  .  We  contented  ourselves  with  leaving  our  record  in  an 
air-tight  rubber  match-box,  well  secured  with  heavy  rocks  by  the 
side  of  the  English  documents."  The  party  were  impressed  by 
the  thick  body  of  snow  which  covered  the  surrounding  country, 
in  marked  contrast  to  the  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  Conger 
which  was  scarcely  concealed.  The  signal  flagstaff,  with  at- 
tached halliards,  at  Cape  Sheridan,  was  still  standing  in  as  firm 
a  condition  as  when  erected  in  1875. 

The  danger  of  travelling  along  that  coast  was  instanced  by 
the  fact  that  on  returning  to  Black  Cape  for  a  second  load  of 
stores, -not  only  were  the  provisions  scattered  around  several 
hundred  yards  from  the  point  where  they  were  cached,  but  the 
ice-foot  was  covered  with  many  stones  which  had  fallen  from 
the  cliffs  during  a  violent  gale,  and  on  the  place  formerly  occu- 
pied by  their  tent  several  heavy  blocks  of  slate  were  lying. 
Dr.  Pavy  says :  "  From  Cape  Union  to  Floeberg  Beach  parties 
travelling  during  the  windy  days  are  continually  exposed  to  the 
fall  of  stones  from  the  ragged  and  disintegrating  tops." 

The  ice  continued  as  a  palaeocrystic  pack  from  Cape  Sheridan 
to  Harley  Spit,  and  thence  to  Yiew  Point,  so  that  following  a 
direct  course  they  found  good  travel  generally,  though  deep 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE   FROZEN   SEA.  251 

snow  softened  by  the  sun  at  times  impeded  their  progress. 
View  Point  was  reached  on  the  morning  of  the  15th,  and  Dr. 
Pavy  says  he  was  then  "  more  fully  supplied  (with  stores)  than  I 
had  expected  to  be  when  leaving  Fort  Conger."  The  party  for 
a  couple  of  days  were  favored  with  calm,  beautiful  weather  and 
high  temperatures.  At  Conical  Hill,  on  the  16th,  many  traces 
of  musk-oxen,  and  fresh  tracks  of  the  lemming,  ptarmigan, 
hare,  and  fox  were  observed. 

From  a  high  hill  in  Feilden  Peninsula  the  ice  in  James  Eoss 
Bay  was  seen  to  be  in  good  condition.  My  instructions  to  cross 
Feilden  Peninsula  not  being  mandatory,  Dr.  Pavy  decided,  on 
account  of  the  bare  ground  in  some  places  and  soft  snow  in 
others,  to  follow  the  coast  to  Cape  Joseph  Henry.  This  decision, 
though  it  seemed  wise  at  the  time,  eventually  proved  fatal  to 
the  success  of  the  journey,  as  had  James  JRoss  Bay  been  crossed, 
and  the  land  quitted  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Hecla,  six  miles 
north  of  Henry,  the  party  would  probably  have  avoided  their 
polar  drift,  which  resulted  in  the  loss  of  the  greater  part  of  their 
stores  and  the  complete  abandonment  of  their  expedition. 

These  remarks  are  made  not  to  reflect  on  Dr.  Pavy's  judg- 
ment, which  doubtless  caused  him  to  select  the  route  apparently 
the  easiest,  but  to  emphasize  the  great  importance  of  following, 
as  far  as  practicable,  a  coast  line,  so  that  the  broken  and  dis- 
torted ice  of  the  Polar  Sea  may  be  avoided  as  long  as  possible. 
My  opinion  entertained  then  still  holds,  that  to  the  northward 
of  Capes  Hecla,  Columbia,  or  May  the  ice  of  the  Polar  Sea  is 
not  as  rough  and  broken  as  in  the  entrance  to  Robeson  Channel 
between  Capes  Joseph  Henry  and  Bryant.  Dr.  Pavy  remarks 
of  the  country  near  Yiew  Point,  that  it  presented  numerous 
signs  of  animal  life,  and  more  abundant  vegetation  than  in  any 
other  place  seen  by  him  north  of  Discovery  Harbor. 

Level  new  ice  afforded  excellent  travel  from  Yiew  Point  to 


252  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Joseph  Henry.  The  character  of  the 
palaeocrystic  ice  from  Harley  Spit  to  Conical  Hill  was  set  forth 
as  consisting  of :  "  Circular,  nearly  level  floes  of  small  dimension, 
the  largest  perhaps  a  mile  and  a  half  in  extent,  at  the  edges  of 
which  was  a  fringe  of  bergs  and  hummocks.  Between  them 
were  ditches  or  crevices  from  five  to  fifty  yards  wide,  which 
must  have  been  at  some  time  filled  with  young  ice.  These 
hollows,  originally  from  three  to  seven  feet  deep,  were  now 
shallow,  and  in  places  nearly  filled  with  a  mixture  of  fresh- 
water ice  and  frozen  snow."  These  floes  showed  the  powerful 
influence  of  the  polar  sun  for  several  summers,  and  "  in  every 
place  where  the  recently  fallen  snow  had  blown  off  the  ice  was 
fresh  and  good  for  cooking." 

Near  Cape  Joseph  Henry  the  new  ice  showed  that  when  the 
sea  closed  the  preceding  autumn  a  belt  of  open  water,  free  from 
heavy  ice  and  at  least  two  miles  in  width,  extended  along  that 
coast.  To  the  northward  of  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  however,  it 
decreased  in  width,  and  ran  along  the  coast  to  the  westward 
toward  Cape  Columbia  as  a  very  narrow  strip. 

During  the  18th  and  19th  of  April  a  severe  storm  prevailed, 
which  confined  them  to  their  tent,  the  temperature  varying 
from  -5.5°  (-20.8°  C.)  to  -12°  (-24.4°  C.).  There  is  but 
little  doubt  that  this  storm  had  a  marked  influence  in  the 
disintegration  of  the  polar  pack  which  occurred  a  few  days 
after. 

During  the  20th  and  21st  the  party  succeeded  in  transporting 
their  stores  to  a  point  on  the  polar  pack  about  four  miles  north 
of  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  but  were  forced  to  desist  from  their 
work  by  a  violent  storm  from  the  south-southeast  on  the  21st, 
which  continued  as  a  severe  gale  during  the  night,  the  wind 
being  estimated  at  forty  miles  from  the  southeast. 

At  that  point  they  had,  from  a  high  floeberg,  an  excellent  view 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE   FROZEN   SEA.  253 

of  the  polar  pack,  the  appearance  of  which  was  discouraging  in  the 
extreme.  "  East  of  the  line  of  massive  cliffs  of  Cape  Joseph 
Henry  the  Polar  Sea  was  of  such  rough  appearance  that  no  sledge, 
even  lightly  loaded,  could  have  made  any  progress  over  its  dis- 
ordered surface.  It  was  nothing  but  an  inextricable  maze  of  huge 
bergs  and  enormous  hummocks,  piled  up  in  a  similar  manner 
as  when  travelled  over  by  Commander  Markham.  Directly 
north  of  Cape  Henry  and  a  certain  distance  from  us,  perhaps 
three  or  four  miles,  the  confusion  of  the  ice  was  the  same,  dis- 
couraging in  its  compactness."  To  the  northeast  this  line  of 
thick-ribbed  ice  "  also  prevailed,  but  to  the  northwest  and  due 
north  of  Cape  Hecla  seemed  to  be  of  a  less  ponderous  charac- 
ter." Indeed,  the  conditions  were  so  favorable  that  the  route  in 
that  direction  was  determined  on ;  as,  "  besides  the  advantage  of 
stumbling  over  a  less  dense  pack,  we  could  also  add  the  advan- 
tage of  establishing  a  depot  (at  Cape  Hecla)  for  our  return," 
and  of  determining  the  exact  route  after  "  a  good  view  from 
the  summit  of  the  high  cliffs  of  Hecla." 

On  moving  northward  on  the  23d,  Eskimo  Jens  suddenly  called 
out  "  Water ! "  which  Dr.  Pavy  thought  to  be  a  false  alarm  ;  but 
a  half  hour  brought  them  to  a  point  where,  from  a  high  berg,  was 
seen  extending  "  to  the  coast  (toward  Cape  Hecla)  an  open  chan- 
nel a  mile  wide,  in  which  floated  small  and  rare  pieces  of  ice.  For 
three  or  four  miles — as  far  as  the  perspective  allowed — the  eye 
could  follow  them.  Here,  on  account  of  the  convexity  of  the 
floes,  the  line  of  water  seemed  to  close  at  the  entrance  of  James 
Ross  Bay  against  a  margin  of  ice,  and  about  the  meridian  of 
Crozier  Island.  To  the  west  this  opening  increased  in  width 
past  Cape  Hecla,  extending  as  far  as  we  could  see  from  hum- 
mocks thirty  feet  high.  From  the  side  of  the  pack  where  we 
stood,  following  the  edges  of  our  floes  and  several  larger  ones 
above,  it  took  a  more  northerly  direction.  Here  again,  as  to  the 


254  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

southeast,  a  convex  curve  of  the  pack  .  .  .  closed  to  the 
view  its  northern  extension."  Eskimo  Jens,  notwithstanding 
their  critical  condition,  was  greatly  delighted  and  much  affected 
by  the  appearance  of  a  fiord  seal  (Pfioca  hispida),  without  doubt 
the  most  northerly  seal  ever  observed. 

As  Dr.  Pavy  had  left  his  compass  behind  in  the  tent,  he 
could  not  determine  the  movement  of  their  floe  except  with 
reference  to  marks  on  the  shore,  but  it  was  evident  later  that  the 
pack  was  moving  to  the  northward  into  an  open  portion  of  the 
Polar  Sea,  as  new  lines  of  coast  gradually  opened  to  the  west- 
ward, including  three  capes,  the  farthest  of  which  was  thought  to 
be  Cape  Columbia.  To  the  east  and  northeast,  at  a  considerable 
distance,  Eskimo  Jens  declared  there  were  unmistakable  signs 
of  open  water.  Such  a  condition  of  the  ice  indicated  clearly  a 
marked  disintegration  of  the  polar  pack,  and  in  case  of  a  severe 
southerly  gale  and  large  water-spaces  to  the  northward  the 
situation  would  have  been  critical.  Dr.  .Pavy  believed  that  the 
water  did  not  extend  farther  than  the  coast  of  Feilden  Penin- 
sula, and  that  the  pack  was  still  touching  Cape  Joseph  Henry ; 
an  opinion  to  which  Eskimo  Jens  objected,  claiming  that 
water  extended  along  the  coasts  of  James  Ross  Bay  and  Feilden 
Peninsula. 

This  state  of  affairs,  as  well  as  the  limiting  clause  of  Dr. 
Pavy's  orders,  prevented  him  from  attempting  to  proceed  north- 
ward over  the  disintegrated  pack.  He  consequently  decided  to 
return  at  once  to  Cape  Joseph  Henry.  Taking  only  indispensable 
effects,  and  sufficient  provisions  to  feed  the  party  for  a  few  days, 
they  started  in  haste  for  the  cape,  but  on  arriving  opposite  it, 
found  open  water  of  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  extent  between 
them  and  the  land.  On  returning  to  their  old  camp  for  some 
farther  stores,  the  water-space  toward  Cape  Hecla  was  found  to 
have  increased  in  width  to  about  three  miles,  while  the  water- 


NORTHWARD   OVER   THE   FROZEN   SEA.  255 

clouds  to  the  north  and  northeast  had  increased  in  amount  and 
distinctness. 

The  farthest  latitude  attained  by  this  party  is  given  by  Dr. 
Pavy  as  82°  56',  it  being  estimated,  as  no  observations  for 
time,  magnetic  declination  or  latitude  were  made  at  any  pe- 
riod during  his  absence. 

Dr.  Pavy  then  thought  of  reaching  land,  and,  travelling  west- 
ward for  fifteen  days,  of  endeavoring  to  extend  Lieutenant 
Aldrich's  explorations  to  the  southwest. 

A  grinding,  roaring  noise,  indicated  that  the  pack  was 
crowding  against  the  lower  coast,  and  in  consequence,  the 
sledge  was  hastily  loaded  with  the  most  indispensable  effects, 
and  with  food  enough  to  enable  the  party  to  reach  Harley 
Spit.  Abandoning  his  tent,  provisions,  and  part  of  his  scientific 
instruments,  Dr.  Pavy  succeeded  in  reaching  Cape  Henry,  where 
the  pack  was  grinding  against  the  high,  perpendicular  ice-foot. 
The  pack  stopped  motionless  against  the  shore,  which  enabled 
them  to  scramble  successfully  over  the  rough,  high  floebergs 
which  made  the  ice-foot  almost  inaccessible.  At  the  edge  of 
the  ice-foot  it  was  necessary  to  unload,  and  hoist  the  dogs  and 
articles  over  its  vertical  edge. 

Dr.  Pavy  concluded  it  would  be  unwise  to  return  for  the 
articles  abandoned,  as  the  pack  was  liable  to  move  northward 
again,  since  in  the  offing  it  was  drifting  south.  He  immediate- 
ly started  southward,  impressed  with  the  idea  "that  Robeson 
Channel  was  open,  and  that  great  haste  was  necessary,"  fearing 
that  the  ice  toward  Cape  Sheridan  would  also  break  up  and 
seriously  delay  their  progress  homeward. 

At  noon,  April  24th,  the  party  camped  at  Yiew  Point,  where 
a  record  was  left  in  the  old  English  cairn,  and  in  the  evening 
of  the  following  day  they  reached  Harley  Spit.  At  7  A.M.  of 
the  26th  the  party  was  again  in  the  snow-house  at  Black  Cape. 


256 


THREE   YEAKS   OF   AECTIC   SERVICE. 


"  From  Cape  Sheridan,  south  of  the  palseocrystic  pack,  the  ice  was 
broken,  in  motion,  and  in  many  places  separated  by  large  lanes  of 
water."  The  next  morning  the  wind  blew  from  the  south,  and 
caused  an  opening  to  the  north  of  Black  Cape  "  between  the  solid 
ice  of  Robeson  Channel  and  the  loose  floes  above — a  space  of 
about  a  mile  wide,  and  of  which  the  transversal  end  disappeared 


Dr.  Pavy  and  Jens  Skinning  Seal. 
[Fort  Conger,  May,  1882.  J 

two  or  three  miles  from  the  coast."  The  party,  however,  trav- 
elled southward  over  solid  ice  to  Lincoln  Bay,  where  for  two 
days  an  effort  was  made  to  find  an  inland  route  between  that 
and  Wrangel  Bay,  which  probably  failed  through  their  going  too 
far  to  the  west  and  north.  The  party  was  favored  with  excellent 
weather,  with  no  wind  and  high  temperatures,  from  this  time 
forward. 

Depot  "  B  "  was  reached  on  May  1st,  and  the  following  day 


NORTHWARD   OVER  THE   FROZEN   SEA.  257 

the  party  arrived  at  Fort  Conger,  having  the  same  excellent 
health  during  their  arduous  journey  of  six  weeks'  duration  they 
had  always  enjoyed.  Rations  of  lime-juice  were  daily  issued 
during  their  outward  journey,  until  the  supply  was  abandoned 
on  the  pack,  and  their  field-ration  proved  sufficient  for  the 
maintenance  of  their  strength  and  health. 

Dr.  Pavy  commended  the  intelligence,  judgment,  and  per- 
severance of  Sergeant  Rice,  and  the  efficiency  r.nd  faithfulness 
of  Eskimo  Jens  Edward. 

Despite  steady  and  unremitting  labor  and  the  possession  of 
health  and  strength,  this  attempt  to  travel  over  the  Frozen  Sea 
failed  through  natural  causes ;  but,  as  Dr.  Pavy  says,  it  "  de- 
termined the  important  fact  that  last  fall  open  water  could 
have  been  found  as  far  as  Cape  Sheridan,  and  from  Conical 
Hill  perhaps  to  Cape  Columbia  ;  and  proved,  by  our  experience, 
that  even  in  such  high  latitudes  the  pack  may  be  in  motion  at 
an  early  period  of  the  year,  perhaps  at  any  time.  I  am  firmly 
convinced  that,  but  for  our  misfortune  in  finding  open  water, 
we  could,  without  greatly  distancing  Commander  Markham, 
have  reached  perhaps  the  latitude  of  84°  K." 

In  speaking  of  the  rough  character  of  the  ice  of  the  Polar 
Sea,  Dr.  Pavy  does  justice  to  the  courage,  endurance,  and  energy 
of  his  gallant  predecessors :  "  If  such  was  the  ice  over  which 
the  British  dragged  heavy  loads  and  cumbersome  boats,  instead 
of  being  astonished  at  the  small  distances  daily  travelled,  on  the 
contrary  I  sympathize  with  them  in  their  sufferings,  admire 
their  perseverance,  and  applaud  heartily  their  pluck  and 
gallantry."  He  farther  states  his  belief  that  Commander  Mark- 
ham  in  no  way  exaggerated  his  hardships,  an  opinion,  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say,  which  is  shared  by  every  person  who 
has  ever  seen  palaeocrystic  ice  or  known  the  trials  of  Arctic 
sledging. 

17 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

CHANDLER     FIORD. 

T  HAD  long  considered  it  possible  that  the  interior  of  Grin- 
nell  Land  could  be  penetrated  successfully ;  that  the  land 
itself  was  of  limited  extent,  and  that  it  could  be  readily  crossed. 
This  opinion  was  clearly  set  forth  in  my  instructions  to  Dr. 
Pavy  at  the  time  of  his  unsuccessful  trip,  in  September,  1881, 
into  Archer  Fiord,  whence  he  was  compelled  to  return  by  open 
water.  In  those  instructions  I  pointed  out  the  experiences  of 
Lieutenant  Archer,  R.l^.,  in  Beatrix  Bay,  and  the  comparatively 
low  ground  to  the  southwest  of  Archer  Fiord  seen  by  that 
officer,  as  showing  the  possibility  of  travel  in  that  direction. 

My  letter  of  the  preceding  September  farther  said  :  "  The 
object  of  your  journey  is  to  determine,  if  possible,  the  existence 
or  non-existence  of  the  sea  or  other  water  to  the  westward  or 
southward  of  Mount  ^Neville.  It  seems  to  me  quite  probable 
that  such  water  exists  at  no  great  distance.  Lieutenant  Archer, 
R.X.,  who  viewed  the  country  from  an  elevation  of  thirty-eight 
hundred  feet,  says:  'Ko  single  high  hill  or  mountain  was 
visible  at  any  great  distance  to  the  westward,  while  mountain 
ranges  extended  northward  from  magnetic  bearings  72°  !N".,  and 
southward  from  72°  S.'  Sir  Edward  Belcher  found  islands  about 
three  hundred  miles  to  the  south-southwestward  of  that  point. 
Lieutenant  Aldrich,  R.K,  in  85°  33'  "W.,  reported  that  the 
coast  of  Grinnell  Land  turned  south  as  far  as  could  be  seen. 
These  facts,  with  Sir  J.  D.  Hooker's  discovery  that  '  the  vege- 


CHANDLER  FIOED.  259 

tation  of  this  meridian  of  the  polar  area  is  entirely  Green- 
landic,  showing  no  more  relation  than  does  Greenland  itself  to 
the  flora  of  the  American  polar  islands,'  argue  a  land,  and 
especially  to  the  westward,  of  limited  extent." 

There  were  two  possible  routes,  both  nearer  to  Conger  than 
Beatrix  Bay,  which  had  been  left  untried  by  Captain  Stephen- 
son,  R.N. ;  one  by  the  way  of  Conybeare  Bay,  and  the  other 
through  Black  Rock  Vale.  In  order  to  gain  some  knowledge 
as  to  the  practicability  of  the  former  route,  which  was  preferred 
by  me  as  affording  travel  over  the  floe,  I  decided  on  a  prelimi- 
nary trip. 

On  April  19th,  Sergeant  Cross  and  Private  Bender,  with  a 
Hudson  Bay  sledge,  left  Conger  with  instructions  to  penetrate 
as  far  into  Conybeare  Bay  as  possible,  in  a  journey  which  should 
entail  an  absence  of  not  exceeding  twelve  or  fourteen  hours 
from  the  depot,  established  on  the  shores  of  Sun  Bay.  They 
carried  with  them,  as  far  as  the  depot,  certain  supplies,  which 
were  subsequently  to  be  used  by  any  party  travelling  in  that 
direction.  They  returned  on  the  22d,  having  succeeded  in 
reaching  a  point  in  Conybeare  Bay  opposite  to  the  west  end  of 
Miller  Island,  but,  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  snow  and  fog  to 
the  westward,  they  had  been  unable  to  determine  whether  the 
bay  extended  far  in  that  direction.  Travelling  in  the  bay  was 
heavy  and  discouraging. 

Although  fully  impressed  with  the  importance  of  an  Arctic 
commander's  remaining  at  his  station  or  ship,  the  condition 
of  affairs  at  this  time  was  so  favorable  that  I  decided  to  absent 
myself  for  a  period  of  fifteen  days.  Full  instructions  were 
given  to  Sergeant  Israel  as  to  what  should  be  done  in  case  of 
special  contingencies  in  connection  with  the  sledging  parties  to 
the  northward. 

Fearing  the  difficulties  of  inland  travel,  and  believing  there  was 


260  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

in  sledge  travel  a  point  at  which  extra  rations  became  a  burden 
and  hindrance,  I  decided  to  reduce  the  weights  as  far  as  possible, 
and  to  limit  my  rations  to  twenty  days  at  the  longest.  The 
means  of  transportation  were  to  be  two  Hudson  Bay  sledges, 
one  of  which  was  to  be  drawn  as  far  as  was  convenient  and  then 
abandoned.  The  weights  of  these  sledges  were  not  to  exceed, 
with  their  loads,  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  on  leaving  the 
depot  at  Sun  Bay,  which  would  be  a  comparatively  light  load 
for  myself  and  the  three  men,  who  were  to  accompany  me. 

A  four-man  shelter-tent,  after  the  pattern  known  during  our 
civil  war  as  the  "  dog-tent,"  was  made  for  us,  which,  complete, 
weighed  about  eleven  pounds.  Our  cooking-lamp  with  its  appar- 
atus, including  plates,  cups,  etc.,  weighed  only  six  pounds,  and 
another  light  lamp  weighing  a  pound  was  taken  for  the  use  of 
any  man  who  might  possibly  be  detached. 

Privates  Biederbick,  Connell,  and  Whisler  were  selected  to 
accompany  me,  but  owing  to  Private  Biederbick's  suffering  ex- 
ceedingly from  toothache,  he  was  replaced  at  the  last  moment, 
somewhat  against  my  inclinations,  by  Bender,  who,  although 
exceedingly  anxious  for  field  services,  had  been  pronounced  by 
the  surgeon  unfit  for  it.  In  order  to  save  the  strength  of  my 
party  on  starting,  Sergeant  Cross  and  Private  Long  were  taken 
one  march  beyond  the  depot  in  Sun  Bay. 

At  12.30  A.M.  of  the  26th  the  party  left  Conger,  the  tempera- 
ture then  standing  at  -7°  (—21.7°  C.). 

At  6.18  A.M.  the  tent  on  the  shore  of  Basil  Norris  Bay  was 
reached,  the  distance  as  travelled  along  the  winding  ice-foot 
being  sixteen  miles.  The  ice  proved  to  be  of  excellent  character 
for  travel,  having  recently  formed  of  the  overflow  of  the 
spring  tides  from  the  tidal  cracks.  The  only  difficulty  experi- 
enced was  in  crossing  occasionally  from  the  outer  to  the  inner 
ice-foot,  which,  necessitating  travel  over  very  rough  ice,  was 


1882.]  CHANDLER  FIORD.  261 

exceedingly  difficult,  and  resulted  in  the  injury  of  one  of  our 
sledges. 

At  9  P.M.  that  evening  we  started  over  the  low  "  divide  "  to 
Sun  Bay,  where  we  were  delayed  for  a  few  minutes  in  an  attempt 
to  kill  a  wolf  which  was  seen  near.  The  gun  had  been  left  be- 
hind, but  we  had  two  revolvers,  with  one  of  which  Private 
Council  fired  at  the  wolf  without  success.  We  travelled  at  a 
free  gait  and  soon  rounded  Stony  Cape,  where  we  for  the  first 
time  looked  into  Conybeare  Bay.  The  ice  formed  from  the 
tidal  overflow  in  Sun  Bay  afforded  excellent  travelling,  which 
continued  until  we  passed  the  several  spurs  of  Stony  Cape, 
when  we  found  the  ice-foot  very  much  broken  up  and  in  a 
difficult  condition  for  travel  ;  our  sledges  continually  overturn- 
ing, at  times  one  man  had  to  hold  them  right  side  np. 

Private  Whisler  and  myself  were  dragging  one  of  the  sledges, 
which,  being  of  an  Improved  pattern,  did  excellent  work.  The 
second,  Old  Veteran,  dragged  by  three  men,  was  of  such  an  in- 
ferior pattern  as  to  cause  an  enormous  amount  of  friction  and 
entailed  corresponding  exertions  to  advance  it. 

At  2  A.M.  we  stopped  for  tea,  on  the  complaint  of  some  of  the 
men  who  were  exceedingly  thirsty.  It  may  well  be  remarked 
here,  that  during  this  trip  the  men  who  were  especially  addicted 
to  the  use  of  tobacco  seemed  to  experience  thirst  to  a  greater 
extent  than  those  who  refrained  from  its  use.  Whether  this 
was  a  result  of  the  habit,  or  was  a  coincidence,  I  cannot  say. 
The  cooking-lamp  did  not  work  satisfactorily,  and  it  was  an 
hour  and  a  quarter  before  we  were  again  on  the  road. 

While  delaying  for  this  tea  the  temperature  fell  to  —14° 
(—25.6°  C.),  the  lowest  experienced  by  us  during  the  journey. 
It  was  my  own  experience  that  the  suffering  from  the  cold 
while  delaying  for  this  lunch  was  so  marked  as  to  destroy  the 
effects  of  the  tea  when  obtained.  I  decided  in  consequence  of 


262  THKEE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

this  brief  experience  that  lunches  were  inadvisable,  and  that  the 
best  plan  to  follow  would  be  to  march  as  far  as  was  practicable 
without  taking  food  ;  and  then,  be  the  distance  great  or  small, 
to  regularly  encamp  and  obtain  proper  rest  and  food  before 
proceeding  farther. 

The  surface  of  Conybeare  Bay  was  covered  by  deep  snow, 
which  was  in  that  most  trying  condition  for  a  traveller,  glazed 
over  by  a  crust  which  was  just  thick  enough  not  to  bear  the 
weight  of  a  man,  but  sufficiently  so  to  prevent  walking  except 
by  lifting  the  foot  quite  above  the  snow.  A  short  experience 
of  that  kind  of  travelling  decided  us  to  quit  the  snow-covered 
floe  and  to  follow  closely  the  ice-foot,  which,  though  entailing 
a  greater  length  of  travel,  would  afford  more  rapid  progress 
with  a  lesser  expenditure  of  strength  and  time. 

The  ice-foot  proved  alternately  good  and  bad,  until  at  6.35 
A.M.  we  camped  opposite  a  gorge  which  was  nearly  due  north 
of  the  west  end  of  Miller  Island.  What  was  thought  to  be  a 
low  point  of  that  island  extended  about  half  a  mile  to  the  west- 
ward of  us,  but  this  was  determined  later  in  the  year  by  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood  to  be  a  separate  island. 

A  comfortable  camp  was  made  between  the  shore  and  a  row 
of  forced-up  hummocks,  which  left  a  level  space  of  snow  be- 
tween them  and  the  high  barren  cliffs  that  rose  above  us  to  a 
height  of  nearly  two  thousand  feet.  Between  the  cliffs  proper 
and  our  camp  was  a  high  ridge  of  about  six  hundred  feet  in 
elevation,  of  peculiar  form,  which  had  evidently  been  separated 
from  the  main  cliffs  by  the  erosion  of  water  and  the  action  of 
frost.  The  outlying  spur  of  the  ridge  was  cut  off  by  ravines 
fully  two  hundred  feet  deep,  which  ran  one  to  the  east  and  the 
other  to  the  west,  leaving  a  narrow  passage-way  with  high 
rock-walls  on  either  side.  The  distance  travelled  in  this  march 
was  fifteen  miles. 


1882.]  CHANDLER  FIORD.  263 

Sergeants  Cross  and  Long,  who  had  been  of  assistance  to  us, 
turned  back  the  following  morning  from  this  camp,  carrying 
with  them  to  the  depot  in  Sun  Bay  a  two-man  sleeping-bag. 
That  evening,  the  temperature  standing  at  —4.2°  (—20.1°  C.), 
arrangements  were  made  for  our  farther  journey  by  equalizing, 
as  far  as  practicable,  the  loads  between  the  two  sledges.  We 
cached  at  that  point  one  day's  rations  for  our  return  trip,  and 
also  nearly  a  gallon  of  alcohol  which  we  feared  would  be  lost 
through  a  leak  in  the  tin  caused  by  the  overturning  of  the 
sledge. 

At  9  P.M.  we  started  westward,  following  closely  the  ice-foot, 
which  was  generally  good,  taking  breathing  spells  of  three 
minutes  for  each  hour's  travelling.  At  1  A.M.  the  temperature 
sank  to  —8°  (—22.2°  C.),  with  a  clear  sky  and  nearly  calm 
weather.  At  3  A.M.  we  reached  a  point  where  the  shore  made 
a  semi-circular  bend  to  the  northward,  more  than  doubling  the 
distance  to  the  next  point.  In  the  centre  of  the  curve  opened 
up  a  valley  which  extended  some  distance  inland.  To  avoid  the 
long  detour  by  way  of  the  shore,  I  decided  to  strike  directly 
across  the  bay  to  the  next  prominent  point.  On  reaching  the 
centre  of  the  bay  a  second  valley  was  seen  running  at  right 
angles  to  the  first.  From  our  new  stand-point  the  valley  which 
ran  to  the  north -north  west  seemed  to  extend  about  fifteen 
miles,  gradually  narrowing,  while  the  second,  to  the  east-north- 
east, soon  closed  in  an  abrupt  ravine.  The  two  valleys  united 
a  few  miles  from  the  ice-foot  in  one  broad  opening  some  three 
miles  wide,  bounded  on  each  side  by  high  hills. 

The  travelling  across  the  floe  was  exceedingly  tiresome,  owing 
to  the  deep  snow  and  thick  crust,  and,  despite  several  changes 
of  places  in  the  drag-ropes  and  a  number  of  short  rests,  the 
party, reached  the  other  side  in  an  exhausted  condition.  This 
result  sprang  partly  from  the  continual  breaking  through  of  the 


264  THREE   TEAKS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

crust,  and  partly  from  the  extraordinary  amount  of  friction  of 
the  Old  Veteran. 

We  reached  the  coast  again  at  about  4.10  A.M.,  and  im- 
mediately encamped.  The  distance  travelled  during  this  march 
was  estimated  at  sixteen  miles. 

On  examining  the  sledges  I  decided  to  abandon  the  Old  Yet- 
eran,  being  satisfied  that  its  farther  retention  would  materially 
retard  our  progress. 

While  we  were  at  this  camp  Private  Connell  visited  the 
mouth  of  the  valley  running  to  the  northwest.  He  found 
vegetation  to  be  abundant,  and  reported  that  during  the  summer 
months  a  river  evidently  flows  into  the  bay  from  the  valley. 
At  that  point  he  also  noted  four  wolves,  and  with  them  a  musk- 
ox,  the  first  of  the  season.  Leading  to  the  valley  he  also  found 
what  appeared  to  be  a  musk-ox  trail  (similar  to  the  buffalo 
trails  of  the  "  Far  West "),  which  indicated  plainly  that  the 
valley  was  a  winter  resort  for  these  animals. 

While  at  that  camp  (No.  3)  surprise  was  expressed  by  nearly 
all  at  the  great  length  of  the  bay.  Lieutenant  Archer,  looking 
into  it  from  Stony  Cape,  had  judged  it  to  be  ten  miles  long, 
and  I  thought  it  to  be  about  fifteen  miles.  Looking  over  the 
distance  we  had  already  travelled,  we  concluded  it  to  be  fully 
forty  miles  from  Stony  Cape  to  the  extreme  southwest  point, 
where  we  believed  the  end  to  be.  It  was  evident  that  the  nearest 
land  to  the  westward  was  very  high,  as  its  apparent  elevation 
had  undergone  slight  change,  although  we  were  some  sixteen 
miles  nearer  it  than  at  Stony  Cape.  Doubtless  the  point  where 
we  were  camped  was  thought  by  Lieutenant  Archer  to  have 
been  the  end  of  the  bay,  an  opinion  in  which  I  would  have 
concurred  on  leaving  Stony  Cape. 

The  temperature  fell  to  —4°  (—20°  C.)  at  this  camp,  and  on 
calling  the  cook  it  stood  at  zero  (—17.8°  C.).  When  packing  the 


1882.] 


CHANDLER  FIOKD. 


265 


single  Hudson  Bay  sledge,  it  was  found  necessary  to  abandon 
a  pair  of  snow-shoes  and  a  spade ;  in  addition,  we  cached  a 
day's  ration  for  our  return  journey. 

We  started  westward  at  9.30  P.M.  with  a  falling  temperature, 
-8°  (-22.2°  C.),  clear  sky  and  light  easterly  wind. 

The  deep  interest  with  which  we  had  hitherto  pursued  our 
journey  was  now  greatly  intensified.  The  eye  of  civilized  man 


Chandler  Fiord  looking  east  from  Camp  3,  Miller  Island  in  centre. 
[From  photograph.] 

had  not  seen,  nor  his  foot  trodden,  the  ground  over  which  we 
were  travelling.  A  strong,  earnest  desire  to  press  forward  at 
our  best  gait  seized  us  all.  As  we  neared  each  projecting  spur 
of  the  high  headlands,  our  eagerness  to  see  what  was  beyond 
became  so  intense  at  times  as  to  be  painful.  Each  point 
reached,  and  a  new  landscape  in  sight,  we  found  our  pleasure 
not  unalloyed,  for  ever  in  advance  was  yet  a  point  which  cut 


266  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

off  a  portion  of  the  horizon  and  caused  a  certain  disappoint- 
ment. 

Our  travelling  was  for  a  time  along  the  ice-foot  at  the  base 
of  very  high  and  precipitous  cliffs,  evidently  of  schistose  slate. 
They  rose  as  sheer  precipices,  over  two  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  bay — solid  rock,  without  a  vestige  of  vegetation  to 
cover  their  nakedness.  Indeed,  the  only  vegetation  seen  for 
some  ten  miles,  travelling  along  these  cliffs,  was  on  an  out- 
lying spur  of  clayey  earth  at  the  point  where  our  previous  camp 
had  been  made.  In  one  place  a  narrow  cleft,  apparently  not 
more  than  a  hundred  feet  wide  and  over  a  thousand  feet  deep, 
broke  the  continuity  of  the  crest  of  the  cliffs. 

It  would  have  been  very  dangerous  to  camp  at  the  base  of 
these  crags,  as  the  ice-foot  was  strewn  with  many  fallen  rocks. 
Even  as  we  travelled  along  several  masses  fell  hundreds  upon 
hundreds  of  feet,  until  checked  by  the  ice-foot  at  the  edge  of 
the  shore.  At  one  place  a  rock,  which  must  have  weighed 
several  tons,  was  lying  on  a  large  palseocrystic  floe  about  a  half 
mile  from  the  shore.  I  visited  and  examined  it,  thinking  it 
might  have  been  brought  from  some  other  cliffs,  but  it  was 
apparently  of  the  same  formation  as  those  near  by.  It  is 
worthy  of  remark,  that  this  was  the  farthest  point  at  which 
palseocrystic  floes  were  seen  in  this  bay — good  evidence  that  they 
drifted  from  the  polar  ocean.  After  following  a  fair  ice-foot 
nearly  three  hours,  we  tried  the  snow-covered  floe,  and,  finding 
that  the  crust  would  bear  us,  kept  well  out  from  the  shore  and 
turned  our  course  to  the  southwest,  which  seemed  to  be  the 
true  end  of  the  fiord. 

At  that  time  directly  in  front  of  us  was  an  abrupt  rocky 
promontory,  the  most  prominent  headland  in  the  bay,  whose 
elevation  was  nearly  three  thousand  feet.  Between  this  bold 
headland  and  the  cliffs  along  which  we  were  travelling  a  valley 


1882.]  CHANDLER  FIORD.  267 

seemed  to  break  in  to  the  northward.  To  the  southwest  there 
was  a  second  prominent  mountain,  with  other  breaks  to  the 
northward  of  it,  which  showed  that,  if  the  main  fiord  did  not 
extend  in  that  direction,  a  bay  must  at  least  exist,  which  possi- 
bly trended  to  the  northwest.  Owing  to  this  uncertain  condition 
of  affairs,  and  in  order  to  save  time,  I  left  the  drag-ropes  and 
directed  the  party  to  travel  for  the  nearest  headland.  On  reach- 
ing that  point  one  of  the  party  was  to  make  tea,  while  another 
should  travel  to  the  north  for  half  an  hour,  if  unable  sooner  to 
determine  the  prospects  for  an  advance  in  that  direction. 

Leaving  the  party  at  12.30  A.M.,  I  travelled  toward1  the  south- 
west. After  going  some  three  hundred  yards  over  fair  travel- 
ling, I  fell  in  with  smooth  and  bluish  ice,  evidently  of  fresh 
water,  which  was  covered  with  a  hard,  thin  layer  of  snow  afford- 
ing the  best  of  travel. 

In  order  not  to  delay  the  sledge,  I  took  up  a  slow  dog-trot, 
hoping  to  reach  the  land  to  the  southwest  and  determine  the 
extent  of  the  bay  in  that  direction.  Just  at  that  time  an  open- 
ing to  the  north  came  in  view,  disclosing  a  narrow  bay,  or  fiord, 
which  extended  a  long  distance.  At  its  apparent  head,  some 
ten  or  twelve  miles  distant,  a  broad  band  of  glittering  ice 
showed  up  plainly,  which  I  supposed  to  be  the  front  of  a  large 
glacier.  Beyond  it  were  low  hills  on  either  side,  while  in  the 
distant  background  snow-clad  mountains  of  the  hog-back  char- 
acter appeared.  The  bay  discovered  by  Lieutenant  Archer, 
gradually  enlarging,  had  now  developed  into  an  extensive  and 
important  fiord.  In  attaching  to  it  later  the  name  of  Chandler, 
I  desired  to  show  in  a  faint  way  my  appreciation  of  the  great 
energy  shown,  and  serious  responsibility  assumed  by  Mr. 
Chandler,  in  fitting  out  the  Eelief  Expedition  of  1884. 

Both  sides  of  the  northern  arm  of  the  fiord  in  the  foreground 
were  shut  in  by  huge  precipitous  cliffs.  It  seemed  quite  evident 


268  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

that  our  line  of  future  travel  would  lay  in  that  direction,  but  I 
hastened  on  with  an  increased  desire  of  determining  the  extent 
of  the  southern  arm  of  the  fiord  without  delaying  my  com- 
panions. My  spring  exercise,  which  had  almost  entirely  con- 
sisted in  running  at  a  slow  gait,  now  proved  of  marked  benefit 
to  me,  and  in  an  hour's  alternate  run  and  walk  I  must  have 
travelled,  at  a  low  estimate,  five  or  six  miles.  When  I  stopped 
I  found  myself  in  the  centre  of  a  nearly  circular  bay,  which  I 
designated  Ida  Bay.  From  the  south  to  the  northwest  the 
shore  was  yet  some  two  miles  distant,  but  to  the  northward 
there  was  a  projecting  point  not  more  than  a  mile  from  me. 
The  bay  was  shaped  somewhat  like  an  ellipse,  with  the  major 
axis  from  the  southwest  to  the  northeast,  and  about  five  miles 
by  three  in  size.  The  bold  promontory,  which  at  the  bifurca- 
tion of  the  fiord  consisted  of  huge,  precipitous  crags,  sloped 
backward  to  the  west  into  comparatively  low  ground,  leaving 
gentle  valleys  of  upland  between  it  and  the  prominent  moun- 
tains that  were  seen  at  the  head  of  the  bay.  The  promontory 
first  mentioned  was  about  twenty-five  hundred  feet  high,  but, 
owing  to  the  grandeur  of  the  surrounding  scenery,  was  hardly  as 
impressive  on  near  approach  as  at  a  distance. 

The  ravines  to  the  westward,  though  narrow,  yet  gave  indica- 
tions of  easy  gradient,  and  travelling,  if  difficult,  seemed  possible 
through  them.  The  low  land  to  the  southward  was  a  marked 
feature  of  the  country,  and  indicated  an  easy  route  for  overland 
travel.  My  field  journal  says  :  "  In  that  direction  the  land  was 
comparatively  low,  with  several  small  ravines  and  valleys  until 
the  hills  rose  again  (to  the  eastward)  in  high  bluffs,  v/hich,  facing 
the  new  bay,  also  cut  off  from  my  view  any  portion  of  Miller 
Island  to  the  eastward."  (It  was  evident  from  Lieutenant  Lock- 
wood's  discoveries  of  the  ensuing  year,  that  the  river  running 
through  Musk-ox  Valley,  must  empty  into  Ida  Bay  through  one 


1882.]  CHANDLER  FIOKD.  269 

of  the  ravines  seen  by  me.)  From  the  point  I  reached,  the  coast 
line  of  the  bay  was  seen  to  be  continuous,  and  no  chance  of 
farther  travel  over  ice  appeared  possible. 

I  took  a  few  bearings  and  made  a  rough  sketch,  which  delay- 
ed me  a  few  minutes.  During  this  time  I  was  chilled  through, 
as  my  clothing  was  saturated  from  perspiration  caused  by  rapid 
travelling;  the  temperature  was  —8.5°  (—22.5°  C.).  Starting 
back,  rapid  travel  soon  warmed  me  up.  I  met  Private  Connell, 
about  a  mile  from  the  sledge,  coming  to  meet  me,  as  the  men 
were  somewhat  alarmed  at  my  long  absence. 

The  party,  on  reaching  the  promontory,  had  made  good  use 
of  their  time.  As  soon  as  the  sledge  stopped  Whisler  had 
travelled  up  the  fiord  to  the  next  point,  finding  excellent  ice 
for  travel  and  the  best  of  prospects  ahead.  Connell  had 
cooked  a  comfortable  lunch  for  the  party.  Bender  had  im- 
proved the  delay  by  repairing  most  ingeniously  the  sledge, 
which  had  been  split  by  the  rough  ice.  He  succeeded  in 
rendering  it  thoroughly  serviceable,  as  well  as  in  reducing  its 
friction.  The  helpfulness  of  my  men  was  particularly  marked 
in  this  instance,  as  this  work  had  been  done  by  them  without 
any  special  instructions  to  that  effect.  On  my  arrival  at  the 
sledge  it  was  found  repaired,  repacked,  and  ready  for  instant 
travel,  while  a  cup  of  warm  tea  was  waiting  for  me.  I  delayed 
the  sledge  for  a  few  minutes  to  take  the  warm  drink,  and  then 
started  to  the  northward. 

We  kept  directly  up  the  arm  of  the  fiord,  as  the  ice-foot  was 
poor  and  ill-marked,  and  the  outer  ice  afforded  perfect  travel. 
It  was  evident  from  the  character  of  the  ice  that  we  were  ap- 
proaching the  month  of  a  river,  or  discharging  glacier ;  for,  in 
place  of  opaque,  whitish  ice,  we  found  the  surface  of  the  fiord 
covered  with  layers  of  fresh-water  ice  of  great  clearness  and 
marked  beauty.  Its  delicate  blue  contrasted  sharply  with  the 


270  THREE  YEAKS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

underlying  strata  of  the  sea-ice.  In  places  the  overlying  fresh- 
water ice  was  at  least  six  feet  thick,  composed  of  several  clearly 
defined  strata.  There  was  no  doubt  the  river,  or  glacier,  dis- 
charging its  water  at  low  tide  over  the  surface  and  damming 
below,  had  formed  these  strata  at  different  periods. 

As  we  travelled  up  the  fiord,  the  cliffs  which  bounded  it  grad- 
ually decreased  in  height,  and  a  low  hilly  country  beyond  opened 
up,  while  the  snow-capped  peaks  of  the  United  States  moun- 
tains became  more  prominently  and  clearly  outlined. 

The  day  was  beautiful — with  a  sky  of  perfect  blue,  no  wind, 
and  a  very  steady  temperature,  from  —2°  (—18.9°  C.)  to  —8° 
(—22.2°  C.).  As  we  approached  the  ice  a  very  light  wind  from 
the  northeast  was  experienced,  which  appeared  to  us  as  the 
cold  air  descending  from  a  glacier. 

The  glacier  front,  as  we  thought  it  to  be,  was  scarcely  a  mile 
distant,  and  we  were  anxious  to  proceed,  but  I  deemed  it  pru- 
dent to  refrain  from  overwork. 

We  went  into  camp  at  7  A.M.  (No.  4)  after  eight  hours'  work, 
during  which  we  had  travelled  twenty-one  miles,  exclusive  of 
the  side  trips. 

My  field*  journal  says :  "  To-day's  discoveries  change  Cony- 
beare  Bay  into  a  fiord  (Chandler  Fiord).  It  is  quite  certain  that 
the  site  of  camp  No.  3  where  the  two  valleys  united,  is  that 
which  was  thought  to  be  the  end  of  the  bay  by  Lieutenant 
Archer's  party.  This  is  evident,  not  only  from  the  appear- 
ance of  the  country  from  Stony  Cape,  which  conveyed  the 
same  impression  to  me,  but  also  from  the  bearings  given  on  his 
map.  Archer  Fiord  to  the  southward  of  Miller  Island  was 
completely  shut  off  by  the  south  side  of  Conybeare  Bay  just 
after  leaving  camp  No.  3,  so  that  the  greater  part  of  to-day's 
travel  has  been  over  a  part  of  the  fiord  which  could  not  possibly 
have  been  seen  by  Lieutenant  Archer.  The  arm  of  the  fiord 


1882.]  CHANDLER  FIORD.  271 

opens  to  the  north,  a  direction  to  an  observing  eye  from  the 
eastward,  the  most  unlikely.  This  arm,  about  five  miles 
wide  at  its  southern  extremity,  narrows  gradually  to  three  miles 
at  our  present  camp.  On  the  eastern  side  the  cliffs  are  con- 
tinuous— sheer  precipices — save  occasional  breaks,  or  notches, 
which  are  in  no  manner  practicable.  The  general  elevation  is 
never  less  than  one  thousand,  and  sometimes  as  great  as  fifteen 
hundred,  feet.  On  the  west  side,  the  cliffs,  while  attaining  a 
general  elevation  of  about  two  thousand  feet  (decreasing  grad- 
ually from  three  thousand  feet  at  Promontory  Point  to  fifteen 
hundred  at  our  present  camp),  have  occasional  gorges  of  no 
great  size,  which  never  attain  to  the  dignity  of  ravines.  Possibly 
at  one  gorge  they  could  be  scaled,  but  it  would  be  decidedly 
hazardous.  Our  journey  of  twenty-one  miles  is  a  remarkable 
day's  travel,  which  never  could  have  been  made  except  by 
reason  of  the  extraordinary  conditions  of  the  ice.  I  have 
worked  all  day  in  the  drag-ropes,  except  during  the  time  taken 
for  some  eight  miles  extra  travel,  and  am  quite  worn  out  this 
morning  from  lack  of  sleep  through  pain  in  my  left  foot,  caused 
by  breaking  through  the  snow,  covering  a  tidal  crack,  into  the 
sharp-pointed  ice  beneath,  while  pulling  heavily.  The  instep 
appears  to  be  badly  bruised,  and  I  suffer  much  from  it  to- 
day, although  at  the  time  it  did  not  appear  to  be  so  serious. 
I  regretted  to  break  in  on  Council's  sleep  after  a  long  march, 
but  I  felt  the  necessity  of  getting  both  latitude  and  time  sights 
at  this  point." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

LAKE    HAZEN. 

TT  was  evident  that  we  were  at  the  head  of  Chandler  Fiord, 
and  farther  progress  must  be  over  the  glacier  or  through 
some  adjacent  valley.  The  evening  was  a  perfect  one  for  Arctic 
travel — calm,  clear,  with  a  temperature  of  —4°  (—20°  C.).  Leav- 
ing a  day's  rations  safely  cached  on  shore  near  camp  ]STo.  4, 
an  hour's  steady  travel  over  the  best  of  ice  brought  us  to 
what  we  had  thought  a  glacier  front.  It  proved  to  be  an 
ice-dam,  which  rose  fifteen  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ice  at  its 
base,  but,  as  the  constant  formation  of  ice  at  that  point  had 
raised  the  base,  its  top  must  have  been  twenty-five  feet  above 
the  sea.  From  the  vertical  front  occasional  small  streams  of 
fresh  water  were  trickling,  which  afforded  us,  for  the  first  time 
during  the  trip,  sufficient  liquid  to  entirely  quench  our  thirst. 

A  brief  examination  of  the  ice  showed  that  we  were  at  the 
junction  of  tide-water  and  a  fresh-water  river  flowing  from  the 
interior.  The  stream  runs  through  a  valley  about  a  mile  wide, 
hemmed  in  bv  high  cliffs,  and  discharges  in  summer  over 

v  O  O 

gentle  rapids,  or  at  the  level  of  the  sea,  but  the  first  heavy  frost, 
forming  heavy  ice  over  the  fiord,  creates  a  dam  which  is  gradu- 
ally overflown  by  the  open  river  behind.  By  the  end  of  winter 
results  an  ice-dam,  a  mile  in  width,  and  twenty -five  feet  in  height. 
The  river-ice  was  found  level  and  smooth,  affording  such  ex- 
cellent travelling  that  the  traction  of  the  sledge  was  not  felt. 
In  consequence  I  dropped  the  drag-belt  for  the  day. 


LAKE  HAZEN.  273 

During  the  first  hour's  travelling  occasional  shallow  pools  of 
fresh  water  were  found  on  the  surface  of  the  ice,  which  were 
an  especial  pleasure  to  Whisler,  who  frequently  dropped  the 
drag-belt  to  enjoy  the  clear  cold  water.  The  ice  was  a  delicate 
whitish-blue,  very  clear,  and  in  places  so  transparent  for  three 
or  four  feet  that  several  overlying  strata,  twisted  and  distorted, 
could  be  seen. 

The  river  proved  to  be  very  crooked,  and  though  in  most 
places  we  were  able  to  travel  directly  from  point  to  point, 
some  slight  detours  were  rendered  necessary  in  order  to  avoid 
wetting  our  foot-gear  in  the  occasional  water-pools. 

Two  hours'  travelling  brought  us  to  a  small  rocky  island  in 
the  centre  of  the  river,  which  had  been  prominent  for  the 
previous  ten  miles,  and  which  first  seemed  to  be  a  projecting 
point.  It  proved  to  be  five  hundred  feet  by  three  hundred  in 
size,  of  about  thirty  feet  in  elevation,  with  a  level,  smooth  top. 
It  had  evidently  been  subjected  to  glacial  action  in  previous  ages, 
but  showed  no  signs  of  such  in  recent  years.  Considerable 
vegetation,  such  as  saxifrage,  dryas,  a  number  of  grasses,  and 
occasional  willows,  was  found. 

The  travelling  improved  as  we  advanced  up  the  river,  and 
my  field  journal  says :  "  The  sledge  runs  very  easily,  offering 
no  impediment  to  the  men's  travelling  freely,  and,  although  my- 
self moving  at  my  best  gait,  I  was  unable  to  get  two  hundred 
yards'  start  of  them  in  an  hour's  travelling.  In  many  places  we 
slid  along  without  taking  our  feet  from  the  ice  for  a  hundred 
yards  at  a  time.  The  river  fills  the  entire  valley  and  is  of 
a  varying  width  from  one  and  a  half  to  four  miles.  Hills 
are  becoming  considerably  lower  on  both  sides,  while  the  moun- 
tains in  the  background  are  rapidly  rising  into  great  prom- 
inence. Though  winding  very  much,  the  general  direction  of 

the  river  is  nearly  northwest.     We  camped  at  about  3  A.M., 

18 


274  THREE  TEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

after  some  eighteen  miles'  travel  over  the  best  road  I  have 
ever  seen  within  the  Arctic  Circle.  I  have  made  to-day's  trip 
a  short  one,  partly  on  account  of  the  great  pain  from  my  foot, 
and  partly  because  yesterday's  long  journey,  with  the  side 
marches  and  the  little  rest  owing  to  observations,  was  very  try- 
ing to  the  party.  It  seems  to  me  that  a  long  rest  will  gain  time 
in  the  end.  Many  tracks  of  musk-oxen  have  been  seen  to-day 
along  the  river's  edge,  and  a  few  on  the  ice,  all  comparatively 
fresh." 

"While  Bender  was  cooking,  Connell  and  Whisler,  with  their 
usual  energy,  were  out  looking  over  the  adjoining  country. 
Whisler  brought  in  some  common  moss,  which  was  quite  green. 
Connell  reported  that  from  an  adjacent  hill  he  had  a  fine  view 
to  the  northward,  in  which  direction  the  mountains  showed  up 
very  prominently.  He  also  saw  many  musk-ox  trails,  running 
from  the  direction  of  the  mountains  to  the  southward. 

April  30th  we  started  at  3  P.M.  The  temperature  was  com- 
paratively high,  being  +4°  (—15.6°  C.)  under  the  influence  of 
the  sun,  though  it  had  been  down  to  —8°  (-22.2°  C.).  A  light 
northerly  wind  was  accompanied  by  a  few  delicate  cirri,  the 
first  clouds  of  any  character  seen  since  leaving  Conger. 

The  excellent  condition  of  the  ice,  and  the  rapidity  of  our 
travel,  was  instanced  by  the  experience  of  "Whisler,  who,  delay- 
ing at  camp  about  five  minutes,  was  unable  in  an  hour's  time 
to  catch  us,  although  travelling  at  his  best  gait.  We  were  for- 
tunate enough  to  find  several  pools  of  water  on  the  surface  of 
the  ice,  which  were  refreshing  in  the  extreme. 

At  times  the  course  of  the  river  was  very  tortuous,  and  in  an 
hour  we  travelled  first  north,  then  northwest,  afterward  to  the 
west,  and  eventually  to  the  north  again,  though  my  journal  says: 
"  We  have  the  great  advantage  of  being  able  to  travel  most 
of  the  time  from  point  to  point  in  a  straight  line,  which 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  275 

greatly  facilitates  our  progress,  for  if  we  were  obliged  to  follow 
the  shores  of  the  river  the  distance  would  be  more  than 
doubled." 

We  passed  one  place  where  the  river  flowed  between  a  narrow 
gorge  of  only  eighty  yards  in  width  with  high,  precipitous  cliffs. 
While  resting  in  this  gorge  we  could  plainly  hear  the  noise  of 
the  water  flowing  under  the  ice.  Occasionally  we  struck  snow 
with  hard  crust,  which,  though  affording  excellent  travel,  was 
so  inferior  to  the  ice  that  it  cut  our  gait  down  sometimes  as 
low  as  two  and  a  half  miles  an  hour.  The  elevation  of  the 
river  above  the  sea  increased  more  rapidly  during  this  day  than 
the  preceding  one.  Fresh  tracks  of  the  musk-ox,  fox,  hare,  and 
lemming  were  seen  along  the  shore. 

At  7  P.M.  we  were  astonished  beyond  measure  at  reaching 
a  point  where  the  stream  was  open.  I  was  almost  inclined  to 
doubt  the  evidence  of  my  own  eyes,  and,  indeed,  rubbed  them 
once  before  answering  the  inquiry  of  one  of  the  men  as  to 
what  that  was.  The  open  river,  about  fifty  yards  wide  and  of 
clear  water,  was  a  rapidly  running  stream  of  an  average  depth 
of  two  feet.  This  stream  was  bounded  on  both  sides  by  thick, 
clear  ice  of  ten  feet  in  thickness. 

We  travelled  alongside  the  open  river,  keeping  to  the  border- 
ing ice-walls,  which  decreased  in  thickness  and  eventually  dis- 
appeared entirely  at  a  point  where  the  stream  doubtless  remains 
open  the  entire  year.  Here  we  were  driven  to  the  hill-side, 
where  the  deep  snow  and  sharp  projecting  rocks  made  travel 
slow,  and  rendered  the  task  of  keeping  the  sledge  upright  a  se- 
vere one.  A  couple  of  hundred  yards  farther  and  a  sharp  turn 
brought  in  sight  a  scene  which  we  shall  all  remember  to  our 
dying  day.  Before  us  was  an  immense  ice-bound  lake.  Its  snowy 
covering  reflected  "  diamond  dust,"  from  the  midnight  sun,  and 
at  our  feet  was  a  broad  pool  of  open  blue  water  which  fed 


276  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [April, 

the  river.  To  the  northward  some  eight  or  ten  miles — its  base 
at  the  northern  edge  of  the  lake  (Hazen) — a  partly  snow-clad 
range  of  high  hills  (Garfield  range)  appeared,  behind  and  above 
which  the  hog-back,  snow-clad  summits  of  the  United  States 
mountains  rose  with  their  stern,  unchanging  splendor.  To  right 
and  left  on  the  southern  shore  low,  rounded  hills,  bare,  as  a 
rule,  of  snow,  extended  far  to  east  and  west,  until  in  reality  or 
perspective  they  joined  the  curving  mountains  to  the  north. 
The  scene  was  one  of  great  beauty  and  impressiveness. 

The  excitement  and  enthusiasm  which  our  new  discoveries 
had  engendered  here  culminated,  for  our  vantage  ground  was 
such  that  all  seemed  revealed  and  no  point  hidden.  Connell, 
who  had  continually  lamented  the  frozen  foot  which  turned  him 
back  from  the  trip  to  North  Greenland,  declared  enthusiastic- 
ally that  he  would  not  have  missed  the  scene  and  discoveries 
for  all  the  Polar  Sea. 

Although  the  march  had  not  exceeded  ten  miles,  I  concluded 
to  camp  where  water  was  to  be  had,  and  in  order  to  determine  in 
which  direction  our  steps  could  be  turned  to  best  advantage. 
We  accordingly  bivouacked  at  the  junction  of  Ruggles  River 
(temporarily  so  called)  and  Lake  Hazen. 

As  we  were  about  entering  camp,  a  dark-colored  bird,  about 
the  size  of  a  plover,  flew  swiftly  by  us  from  behind  and  dis- 
appeared. It  was  neither  snow-bunting  or  ptarmigan,  as  all 
agreed.  Wolf,  fox,  lemming,  hare,  musk-ox,  and  ptarmigan 
tracks  were  all  seen  during  the  day. 

At  this  camp,  No.  5,  I  obtained  a  fair  set  of  time  observa- 
tions, and  quite  wore  out  myself  and  the  rest  of  the  party  by 
sitting  up  for  latitude  observations.  I  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
set  of  subpolar  observations,  which  were  not  perfect,  owing  to 
the  prevalence  of  light  cirrus  clouds  and  the  altitude  of  the  sun, 
which  was  at  midnight  only  7°  above  the  horizon.  In  the  time 


1888.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  277 

between  the  two  observations  Private  Connell  travelled  about 
five  miles  to  the  eastward  along  the  lake,  and  from  his  extreme 
point,  a  hill  of  moderate  elevation,  he  could  see  the  end  of  the 
lake.  The  mountains  in  that  direction,  he  said,  decreased  in 
elevation,  finally  terminating  ill  hog-back  hills  to  the  south- 
ward. 

Private  Bender  was  sent  to  the  northward  to  cross  the  lake 
and  examine  the  valley  opposite,  which  seemed  to  be  of  con- 
siderable size  and  appeared  to  have  a  glacier  in  its  northern 
termination.  He  returned  after  four  hours'  travel,  and  reported 
the  opposite  valley  to  be  unimportant.  Near  the  northern 
shore  he  had  discovered  the  existence  of  a  long,  narrow  island 
(John's  island)  of  considerable  elevation,  which,  from  our  camp? 
appeared  to  be  part  of  the  main-land. 

The  night  was  a  clear,  beautiful  one,  with  only  a  breath  of 
wind  and  the  temperature  —3°  (  —  19.4°  C.),  so  that,  while  Con- 
nell and  myself  occupied  the  sheep-skin  bag  within  the  dog- 
tent,  "Whisler  and  Bender  slept  on  the  outer  ground. 

Numerous  tracks  of  ptarmigan  and  hares  were  seen  in  the 
vicinity  of  our  camp,  and  while  I  was  making  the  midnight  ob- 
servations a  ptarmigan  came  within  twenty -five  feet  of  us,  but 
flew  away  before  our  work  was  completed.  At  5  A.M.  I  was 
awakened  by  the  calling  of  a  ptarmigan,  which  seemed  to  be 
challenging  another  bird  that  answered  within  a  few  feet  of  me. 
I  called  to  Whisler,  who  had  the  revolver,  to  shoot  the  bird. 
He  reported  that  it  was  perched  on  the  ridge-pole  about  two 
feet  above  my  head.  As  he  was  a  good  marksman,  I  told  him 
to  take  very  careful  aim  and  shoot  it ;  but  Connell,  who  was  in 
the  bag  with  me,  displayed  such  a  marked  lack  of  confidence  in 
Whisler's  marksmanship,  that  in  deference  to  his  doubts  I  di- 
rected Whisler  not  to  fire,  and  so  the  bird  escaped. 

My  journal  of  May  1st  says  :  "  Early  this  morning  I  started 


278  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

east,  and,  ascending  a  hill  four  miles  distant  from  the  camp, 
observed  to  the  eastward  of  the  lake  hog-back  hills,  which 
were  of  considerably  lower  elevation  than  the  mountains  to  the 
north.  Two  ptarmigan  alighted  on  the  hill,  one  of  which  came 
within  five  or  six  yards  of  me,  giving  utterance  to  frequent  calls, 
which  were  interrupted  every  few  seconds  by  other  notes  sound- 
ing like  a  challenge.  I  stood  perfectly  quiet  and  admired  his 
plumage  of  pure  white,  spotted  only  by  the  crimson-red  of  his 
eyelids ;  when  tired  of  examining  me  he  leisurely  flew  away. 

"  There  appear  to  be  a  number  of  glaciers  on  the  north  side 
of  the  lake,  but  the  bad  light,  with  the  sun  beyond  them,  ren- 
dered it  impossible  to  speak  with  certainty. 

"  Willow,  as  well  as  grass,  was  quite  plentiful.  Old  willow 
shrubs  in  small  quantities  were  seen,  and  I  doubt  not,  in  case  of 
necessity,  enough  for  cooking  purposes  could  be  found. 

"  There  was  very  little  snow  to  be  seen  over  the  hills  on  the 
south  side  of  the  lake,  but  the  mountains  which  separated  the 
lake  on  the  north  side  from  the  snowy  range  were  partly  snow- 
clad,  similar  to  those  in  the  vicinity  of  Conger.  The  lake  was 
packed  with  hard,  level  snow  of  about  a  foot  in  depth,  which 
was  covered  with  a  strong  crust.  The  sastrugi  showed  prevail- 
ing northeast  winds. 

"  There  is  in  the  snow -covered  mountains  to  the  northward  a 
twin  peak  ;  two  cones  running  together,  that  to  the  eastward 
being  of  slightly  lower  elevation  than  the  one  to  the  westward  ; 
both  are  pure  white,  distant  from  thirty -five  to  forty  miles,  and 
about  five  thousand  feet  high. 

"  My  attempt  to  obtain  time  observations  this  morning  were 
but  partly  successful,  owing  to  obscuring  clouds.  It  seems 
strange  that  the  heavens  over  the  lake  to  the  westward,  and, 
indeed,  in  every  direction  except  toward  Robeson  Channel, 
are  cloudless  and  bright." 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  279 

We  got  into  our  sleeping-bags  at  4.30  A.M.,  and  turned  out 
at  eleven  o'clock  for  latitude  observations,  which  were  again 
poor  and  unsatisfactory,  owing  to  the  covered  sky. 

While  breakfast  was  being  prepared,  Whisler  reported  that 
he  had  seen  fish  six  or  seven  inches  long  in  the  lake ;  Connell, 
with  pin-hook  and  line,  tried  fishing  unsuccessfully. 

Whisler,  who  had  visited  the  hills  to  the  westward  of  Rug- 
gles  River,  reported  a  number  of  musk-oxen  in  sight,  with 
evidences  of  a  larger  number  in  that  direction.  While  absent 
he  shot  a  ptarmigan. 

At  2  P.M.,  May  2d,  we  started  to  the  westward  along  the  south 
shore  of  Lake  Hazen.  We  were  obliged  to  make  a  detour  into 
the  lake  to  pass  around  the  open  water  which  feeds  the  river, 
and  which  extends  unfrozen  for  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  into  the  lake. 

What  appeared  to  be  a  glacier  on  the  north  side  opened  up 
to  view,  but  after  a  careful  examination  with  the  telescope  we 
decided  it  to  be  only  snow. 

The  men  travelled  along  the  lake  shore,  while  I  left  them  at 
various  times  to  examine  the  character  of  the  country  to  the 
southward,  over  which  I  travelled  about  a  mile  distant  from 
and  parallel  to  the  lake.  It  was  found  invariably  to  consist  "  of 
small  hills,  from  none  of  which  was  the  view  extensive."  The 
ascent  to  the  southward  was  very  gradual,  and  no  high  land  in 
that  quarter  was  visible.  Much  grass,  many  willows,  and  other 
vegetation  abounded,  while,  to  my  surprise,  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  the  ground  was  then  covered  by  snow.  Several 
hours  of  this  travelling,  from  its  rough  character,  proved  very 
injurious  to  my  lame  foot,  which  was  protected  against  the 
stones  only  by  moccasins,  and  I  returned  to  the  lake.  During  a 
portion  of  the  day  the  men  travelled  in  snow-shoes,  which  were 
of  service,  although  they  were  not  much  accustomed  to  their  use. 


280  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

Along  the  shore  we  fell  in  with  two  hares,  one  of  which 
Whisler  shot  with  a  revolver,  while  the  second,  though  wounded, 
escaped.  In  pursuing  it  Whisler  saw  a  third  hare,  and  struck 
a  trail  over  which  a  number  of  musk-oxen  had  lately  travelled. 

Five  hours'  march  brought  us  to  a  "  remarkable  ridge  of 
pebbles  and  smooth  stones,  which  extend  for  a  hundred  yards 
or  more  along  the  shore,  with  their  bases  at  the  high-water 
mark.  In  some  cases  the  ridges  were  twelve  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  surrounding  ground.  While  it  is  possible  that  ice 
or  snow  might  form  a  part  of  them,  it  is  hardly  probable, 
as  none  was  seen  anywhere  in  connection  with  them,  they 
being  merely  high  parallel  ridges  of  pebbles.  The  direction  of 
sastrugi  on  the  lake  shows  prevailing  northeasterly  winds,  and 
these  ridges  were  situated  so  that  the  winds  would  have  full 
force  over  them.  After  a  careful  examination  I  have  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  they  have  been  formed  during  severe  gales 
from  the  northeast  quarter,  which  must  force  the  ice  violently 
against  this  shore  during  the  summer  or  early  autumn."  This 
opinion  was  confirmed  by  direct  evidence  the  following  summer. 

After  nearly  seven  hours'  travel  we  camped,  having  made 
probably  sixteen  or  seventeen  miles,  although  the  men  insisted 
that  it  was  over  twenty. 

My  field  journal  that  morning  says  :  "  During  to-day's  travel- 
ling I  found  along  the  entire  shore  of  the  lake  four  distinct 
ridges  of  pebbles,  thus  affording  suitable  evidence  that  the 
water  has  attained  four  different  levels  in  separate  years. 
The  highest  ridge  was  the  outside  one,  nearest  the  lake, 
and  is  about  six  or  seven  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ice,  which 
is  fully  fifty  yards  distant.  There  is  no  ice-foot  along  the  lake, 
as  none  is  to  be  expected,  but  the  ice  is  grounded  and  fixed  fast 
to  the  shore  at  the  very  edge,  and  as  the  water  falls  it  slopes 
gradually  toward  the  centre  of  the  lake,  occasionally  separated 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  281 

from  the  main  body  of  ice  by  deep,  narrow  cracks.  The  slop- 
ing of  the  ice  rendered  it  necessary  in  following  the  contours  of 
the  shore  to  keep  about  a  hundred  yards  out  from  its  edge,  where 
the  snow-crust  was  stronger  and  better  than  elsewhere.  Any 
attempt  to  proceed  toward  the  centre  of  the  lake  invariably  re- 
sulted in  the  party  breaking  through  the  crust,  which  made  our 
progress  slow  and  difficult. 

"  Opposite  our  present  camp,  on  the  northwest  side  of  the 
lake,  we  have  seen  during  the  afternoon  travel  what  is  evidently 
a  large  glacier.  It  was  hidden  from  view  farther  to  the  east 
by  a  projection  of  the  land  on  its  eastern  side,  where  several 
small  mountains  are  situated." 

We  had  a  good  rest  at  camp  No.  7,  where  we  spent  twelve 
hours,  being  delayed  somewhat  by  the  bad  behavior  of  the 
cooking-lamp.  The  temperature  sank  to  zero  (—17.8°  C.)  dur- 
ing the  night,  which,  in  connection  with  a  light  wind,  made  it 
uncomfortably  cool,  but  in  the  early  morning  the  wind  died 
away,  rendering  travel  delightful. 

While  the  men  were  packing  the  sledge  on  May  2d,  I 
walked  rapidly  along  the  shore  to  the  next  point,  in  order  to 
examine  the  country,  and  determine  whether  it  would  be  best 
to  proceed  westward  to  the  end  of  the  lake,  or  northward  to 
the  glacier  which  had  been  in  sight  since  the  previous  day. 

On  reaching  the  point  I  was  not  entirely  satisfied  that  I  could 
see  the  end  of  the  lake,  although  the  men  on  arrival  maintained 
that  it  was  in  view.  My  field  journal  says :  "  I  feel  confident 
from  the  break  in  the  land  to  the  southwest,  between  the 
mountain  range  in  the  north  and  the  low  hills  to  the  south,  that 
there  must  be  a  valley  or  pass  leading  westward." 

As  the  distance  clearly  seen  to  the  westward  was  at  least 
twelve  miles,  and  it  was  doubtful  if  we  could  reach  it  by  the 
day's  travel,  I  decided  to  cross  the  lake  to  the  glacier  and  deter- 


282  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

mine  something  of  its  size  and  character.  I  also  hoped  that 
from  the  adjoining  mountains  something  more  satisfactory  could 
be  seen  of  the  topography  of  the  country  to  the  southwest.  We 
consequently  turned  north  to  cross  Lake  Hazen.  In  a  short  dis- 
tance the  travel  was  found  of  the  worst  possible  character,  the 
crust  being  just  too  weak  to  support  the  weight  of  a  man.  In 
consequence  the  men  put  on  snow  shoes,  of  which  there  were 
three  pairs,  while  I  followed  the  sledge.  After  six  hours' 
travelling,  during  which  we  had  marched  twelve  miles  from 
our  previous  camp,  we  stopped  inshore  from  the  lake  a  scant 
mile  and  made  camp  Ko.  8.  We  were  then  three  miles  east 
of  Henrietta  Nesmith  glacier,  which  I  named  for  my  wife. 

The  snow-covered  ground  rose  so  gradually,  from  the  level  of 
the  lake,  that  we  were  not  conscious  of  having  reached  it  until 
we  were  some  distance  inland.  I  unwisely  decided  to  camp 
there,  expecting  to  obtain  our  ice  from  the  lake  near-by.  As 
soon  as  camp  was  reached,  Connell  and  Bender  arranged  the 
tent  and  commenced  preparations  for  supper.  We  were  all 
quite  exhausted  by  the  difficult  travelling,  but  I  decided  to  visit 
the  glacier  front  at  once,  fearing  that  I  should  be  prevented  by 
some  unforeseen  contingency  the  following  morning.  Private 
Whisler  asked  also  to  visit  it  and  obtain  ice  for  cooking  pur- 
poses for  supper,  as  the  ice  near-by  was  very  dirty  and  unfit  for 
use.  I  advised  him  not  to  do  so,  owing  to  the  great  distance. 
He  started  directly  for  the  main  front  by  the  way  of  a  small 
bay,  through  which  the  water  from  the  glacier  reaches  Lake 
Hazen.  I  decided  to  follow  up  along  the  base  of  four  small 
mountains  to  the  eastward  of  the  glacier,  as  they  seemed  to  abut 
against  it  and  afford  a  route  by  which  I  could  reach  its  surface. 

While  en  route  I  found  a  large  pasture-ground,  where  musk- 
oxen  had  broken  the  crust  and  scraped  away  the  snow  to  reach 
the  willows,  grass,  and  saxifrages  which  grew  plentifully  at  that 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  283 

place.  Traces  of  musk-oxen,  from  a  day  to  weeks  old,  were 
met  with.  In  different  places  there  were  direct  signs  that  some 
of  the  crust  had  been  broken  since  the  last  storm,  other  portions 
prior  to  the  last  storm,  and  still  others  long  before  that  time. 
The  evidences  were  marked  and  clear  that  this  point  was  a  past- 
ure-ground much  frequented  by  these  animals. 

Hare  and  wolf  tracks  were  quite  frequent  in  the  vicinity,  but 
there  were  none  of  the  fox,  although  traces  were  seen  that 
morning  in  crossing  the  lake.  It  was  a  matter  of  surprise  to 
me,  despite  these  marked  evidences  of  considerable  numbers  of 
musk-oxen  on  the  north  side  of  the  lake,  and  similar  traces  of 
equal  numbers  on  the  south  side,  that  at  no  place  was  the  track 
of  a  musk-ox  to  be  found  at  the  edge  of  the  lake  or  on  the  main 
floe.  This  would  seem  to  show  a  disinclination  to  cross  any  ex- 
tent of  ice,  as  was  the  case  along  the  Ruggles  River,  where  the 
foot-tracks  on  the  river-ice  were  near  the  very  edge. 

I  had  hoped  to  find  the  top  or  crown  of  the  glacier  flush  with 
and  pressing  against  some  point  of  the  mountains,  so  as  to  per- 
mit an  examination  of  it,  but  such  was  not  the  case.  From  the 
central  medial  line  the  crown  sloped  down  gradually  to  either 
side,  and  near  the  mountains  the  angle  of  descent  was  sharper, 
but  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred  yards  from  the  mountain  it 
stopped,  leaving  a  perpendicular  wall  of  ice  twenty-five  to  thirty 
feet  high.  With  considerable  difficulty  I  climbed  the  steep 
mountain-side,  which  was  covered  with  coarse,  yielding  sand, 
until  I  was  far  above  the  edge,  and  apparently  on  the  same  level 
as  the  opposite  central  crown  of  the  glacier,  which  was  about 
four  hundred  yards  from  the  centre  of  the  main  or  discharging 
front.  My  barometer  then  read  28.89.  Descending  the  pre- 
cipitous cliffs,  I  then  stood  at  the  eastern  base  four  hundred 
yards  lower  down  the  glacier  than  the  point  opposite  my 
station  on  the  hill.  The  barometer  then  read  29.49.  The 


284  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

difference  of  the  two  elevations  was  not  far  from  five  hundred 
and  twenty  feet.  I  estimated  the  height  of  the  vertical  front 
of  the  glacier  at  that  place  to  be  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  feet.  This  gave  the  glacier  a  very 
large  slope  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  to  three  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  in  a  distance  of  four  hundred  yards,  which  seemed 
to  indicate  an  enormous  thickness  of  the  ice  in  rear. 


Henrietta  Nesmith  Glacier. 
[Showing  eastern  edge  crowding  against  the  mountains.] 

During  the  day's  march  the  glacier  had  gradually  grown  from 
a  narrow  line  of  ice  to  a  sharply  defined  bank,  which  from  camp, 
two  or  three  miles  distant,  appeared  to  be  perhaps  twenty-five 
feet  high.  A  nearer  approach,  causing  it  to  tower  into  enormous 
proportions,  awakened  my  wonder  and  admiration,  which  con- 
tinually increased  as  I  examined  it  critically  from  its  front,  and 
came  to  have  a  just  idea  of  its  magnitude.  The  face,  convex, 


1882. J  LAKE  IIAZEN.  285 

or  crescent-shaped,  was  about  five  miles  from  hill  to  hill — a  mass 
of  sheer,  solid  ice,  averaging  about  one  hundred  and  seventy -five 
feet  in  height,  though  in  one  place  as  low  as  one  hundred  and 
again  as  high  as  two  hundred  feet. 

My  field  journal  says :  "  The  top  of  it  was  a  pure  dead-white, 
densely  opaque,  resembling  in  a  marked  manner  the  surface  of 
loaf-sugar,  or  broken  and  unpolished  white  marble.  Lower 
down  it  shaded  into  a  color  bordering  on  blue,  the  whole  very 
much  resembling  floebergs.  In  general,  the  color  of  the  ice, 
which  lay  in  detached  piles  at  the  foot,  was  a  delicate  blue, 
shading  closely  on  the  white,  but  in  certain  places  strata  of  a 
faint  yellowish  color  were  to  be  seen.  These  strata  were  in- 
variably confined  to  certain  points,  and  formed  a  very  incon- 
siderable portion  of  the  visible  front.  Their  color  while  in  the 
glacier  itself  gave  the  appearance  of  a  delicately  tinted  rose- 
shade,  which,  as  I  have  said,  changed  to  a  faint  yellowish  on 
close  examination.  There  were  three  large  deeply-worn  gullies 
or  channels  on  the  surface  of  the  glacier,  one  at  the  centre  and 
one  near  each  side,  which  showed  that  in  the  summer  and 
autumn  very  considerable  streams  of  water  must  be  discharged 
from  the  surface  of  the  glacier.  The  side  gullies  were  of  in- 
considerable size  compared  with  the  central  one.  The  lowest 
part  of  the  crown  of  the  glacier  was  at  a  point  where  water  of 
the  largest  discharging  channel  had  worn  deeply  into  the  ice, 
leaving  its  elevation  not  more  than  a  hundred  feet. 

I  saw  several  moraines  on  the  southwestern  side,  but  was  too 
much  worn  out  by  travel  in  the  deep  snow  in  front  of  the 
glacier  to  visit  them.  The  next  morning  Connell  visited  and 
examined  them.  The  following  description  was  obtained  im- 
mediately on  his  return  : 

The  moraines  were  three  in  number,  situated  near  the  western 
face  of  the  glacier,  and  nearly  parallel  to  each  other.  They 


286  THREE  YEAES   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

were  composed  of  black  sand  mixed  with  coarse  pebbles  and 
occasional  boulders  of  small  size.  No  large  blocks  of  stone 
were  visible.  No.  1,  about  twenty  yards  in  length  and  fifteen 
feet  high,  extended  in  a  gentle  curve  from  a  point  within  about 
five  yards  of  the  glacier  front  to  a  point  twenty  yards  distant 
from  the  base  of  the  high  hill  to  the  westward,  against  which 
the  side  of  the  glacier  pressed.  The  nearest  point  of  the 
moraine  was  so  close  to  the  glacier  front  that  the  falling  ice 
covered  a  portion  of  it. 

No.  2  was  likewise  fifteen  feet  high,  about  seventy  yards 
long,  and  generally  parallel  to  and  about  ten  yards  distant  from 
No.  1.  No.  3  was  about  twenty  feet  high,  a  hundred  yards 
long,  parallel  to,  and  thirty  yards  distant  from  No.  2.  The 
front  of  each  moraine  was  nearly  perpendicular,  but  the  rear 
portion  (that  part  nearest  the  glacier)  gently  sloping. 

The  appearance  of  the  moraines  seemed  to  indicate  that 
within  a  moderately  late  period  the  western  spur  of  the  glacier 
must  have  advanced  and  retrograded  three  separate  times,  the 
period  of  retrogradation  in  each  case  being  more  marked  than 
that  of  progression,  as  shown  by  the  greater  size  and  importance 
of  the  moraines,  as  the  distance  from  the  present  front  increased. 

Careful  observations  resulted  in  no  satisfactory  evidence  as 
to  whether  the  glacier  is  at  present  progressing  or  retrograd- 
ing. I  think  it  hardly  possible  that  in  late  years  it  could  have 
extended  any  considerable  distance  farther  than  its  present 
front.  This  opinion  seemed  reasonable,  not  only  from  the 
presence  of  the  moraines,  but  because  the  hills  immediately 
adjacent  to  and  in  front  of  the  glacier,  and  but  slightly  above 
the  level  of  the  lake,  showed  plants  and  lichens  which  were 
common  to  the  entire  country,  such  as  purple  saxifrage,  Arctic 
willow,  dryas,  and  the  poppy.  Over  the  lower  grounds  immense 
quantities  of  sand  were  scattered,  probably  deposited  from  the 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  287 

summer  streams,  which  were  so  intermixed  with  the  snow  that 
it  was  impossible  to  tell  where  the  land  ended  and  the  lake 
commenced. 

Xo  yellow  strata  of  ice,  such  as  had  been  seen  near  the  centre, 
were  visible  in  the  western  half  of  the  glacier.  We  had  heard 
masses  of  ice  falling  frequently  during  the  night,  and  a  con- 
siderable quantity  broke  and  fell  from  the  front  while  Connell 
was  opposite  that  discharging  stream,  which  is  a  little  east  of 
the  centre  front  at  the  lowest  point  of  the  crown. 

The  ice  when  undetached  had  presented  at  its  great  height 
a  light  yellow  shade,  but  newly  fallen  it  was  found  on  examina- 
tion by  Connell  to  be  of  a  fine  pink  tinge,  quite  marked  in  the 
masses.  A  small  watercourse  runs  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year  from  the  western  side  along  the  front  between  the  glacier 
and  the  moraines.  Although  covered  with  level  ice,  no  running 
wTater  could  be  heard  by  Connell,  nor  could  any  be  obtained  by 
digging  with  a  hunting- knife.  It  is  possible  that  this  water- 
course may  come  from  some  discharging  brook  of  main  impor- 
tance, which,  being  on  the  western  slope  of  the  glacier,  could  not 
be  seen  from  an  exterior  standpoint. 

Three  similar  watercourses  were  discovered  by  me  some 
distance  in  front  of  the  main  brook,  which  discharged  from  the 
centre  of  the  crown  of  the  glacier.  It  occurred  to  me  as  being 
possible  that  the  western  brook  might  discharge  from  under 
the  glacier,  as  frequently  occurs  in  the  Greenland  fiords. 

This  summer  surface-discharge  seemed  singular  to  me,  and  I 
examined  all  the  watercourses  which  appeared  to  be  entirely 
dry  and  with  but  little  ice,  but  the  deep  snow  might  have 
easily  concealed  some  stream  of  water  under  the  surface-ice. 

Private  Bender  left  at  the  same  time  as  Connell,  with  orders 
to  ascend,  if  possible,  one  of  the  adjacent  mountains,  in  order  to 
examine  the  country  to  the  westward.  He  was  unable  to  ascend 


288  THREE   YEAES   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

to  the  summit  of  either,  as  the  base  and  side  of  the  mountains 
were  covered  with  soft,  yielding  sand,  laying  at  such  an  angle 
as  rendered  an  ascent  to  the  top  hopeless.  It  seemed  probable 
from  his  account  that  this  sand  was  a  deposit  resulting  from 
the  grinding  of  the  mountain-side  by  the  glacier  at  some  former 
time.  From  the  highest  point  reached  by  him  he  was  unable 
to  see  any  considerable  distance  up  the  glacier,  owing  to  inter- 
vening mountains.  To  the  southwest  he  could  see  some  twenty- 
five  miles  or  more.  The  lake  appeared  to  end  in  a  small,  nearly 
land-locked  bay  some  fifteen  miles  distant,  beyond  which  nothing 
could  be  seen  except  a  succession  of  low,  rounded  hills.  The 
same  description  of  country  existed  to  the  southward,  although 
the  hills  were  slightly  higher.  Xo  high  mountains  were  visible 
in  either  quarter.  There  appeared  a  decided  break  in  the 
country  to  the  westward  of  Lake  Hazen,  as  the  ice-clad  moun- 
tains to  the  north  of  us  very  abruptly  gave  place  to  low  hills. 
A  few  mountains  to  the  westward  were  partly  snow-clad,  the 
most  prominent  of  which  was  a  pyramid-shaped  mountain  some 
twenty  miles  distant,  that  had  been  our  landmark  ever  since 
the  lake  had  been  reached,  and  which  now  bears  the  name  of 
Whisler.  Unfortunately  I  neglected  to  send  a  barometer  with 
Bender,  so  the  exact  elevation  of  the  point  reached  by  him  is 
uncertain,  but  he  thought  it  to  be  not  far  from  two  thousand 
feet. 

On  returning  from  Henrietta  Nesmith  glacier  to  camp  on  .the 
north  side  of  Lake  Hazen,  May  3d,  I  noticed  an  atmospheric 
phenomenon  which  seemed  to  ine  unique;  it  was  a  beautiful 
mock-sun,  accompanied  by  clearly  defined  prismatic  colors,  at  a 
distance  of  120°  from  the  sun.  This  phenomenon  was  seen  in 
the  only  quarter  of  the  heavens  which  at  that  time  was  covered 
with  light  clouds,  being  nearly  south  of  the  glacier,  which  was 
at  my  back. 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  289 

I  since  find  this  phenomenon  mentioned  by  Flammarion 
as  being  especially  remarkable  and  rare.  lie  says :  "  Some- 
times the  solar  rays  experience  two  successive  reflections  upon 
the  vertical  surfaces  of  one  of  the  prisms.  There  is  then 
visible,  at  120°  from  the  sun,  a  white  image  more  or  less 
diffuse,  which  has  received  the  name  of  paranthelion.  The 
horizontal  bars  of  the  ice-crystals  reflect  also  the  solar  light, 
but  in  an  upward  direction,  which  prevents  the  spectator 
from  perceiving  it  unless  he  be  upon  the  summit  of  a  steep 
mountain,  or  in  the  car  of  a  balloon,  above  the  cloud  con- 
taining the  icy  particles.  It  will  be  readily  admitted  that  these 
conditions  can  rarely  be  fulfilled ;  but  MM.  Barrae  and  Bixio 
were  fortunately  able  to  realize  them  on  July  27,  1850.  The 
image  of  the  sun  thus  reflected  appears  almost  as  luminous  as 
the  sun  itself.  Bravois  suggested  for  this  phenomenon,  at  once 
so  remarkable  and  so  rare,  the  name  of pseudohelion" 

May  4th,  we  built  a  cairn  on  a  prominent  hill  about  two  miles 
east  of  the  glacier,  and  three  hundred  feet  above  the  lake,  in 
which  was  deposited  a  notice  of  our  visit.  The  cairn  is  about 
five  feet  high  and  is  quite  prominent  from  the  eastward,  but 
in  other  directions  does  not  show  up  until  near  at  hand. 

I  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  good  set  of  time  observations,  but 
did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  wait  for  latitude.  The  high  tem- 
perature of  the  air  at  that  time  (—11°  F.,  —11.7°  C.),  and  the 
fact  of  the  country  to  the  westward  being  open,  decided  me  to 
return  at  once  to  Conger  and  attempt  a  second  trip  later  in  the 
year.  It  was  evident  that  if  we  turned  our  faces  to  the  west- 
ward we  could  travel  no  farther  than  we  had  already  seen,  and 
the  high  temperature  caused  me  to  fear  that  the  river  would 
break  up  behind  us,  in  which  case  our  return  to  Conger  would 
be  a  matter  of  extreme  difficulty,  if  not  considerable  danger. 

We  consequently  took  a  direct  course  across  the  lake  for  the 
19 


290  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

mouth  of  Ruggles  River,  and  after  eight  hours'  steady  travelling 
arrived  there  in  an  exhausted  condition. 

The  desire  to  reach  a  point  where  water  could  be  obtained 
and  fuel  saved  was  the  only  incentive  which  enabled  us  to  make 
this  journey  in  a  single  march.  The  lake  could  have  been 
crossed  in  a  single  day  with  no  other  sledge  than  a  Hudson  Bay, 
as,  while  the  surface  of  the  crust  frequently  broke  under  one  of 
the  party,  the  sledge  never  stopped  during  our  entire  march.  I 
estimated  the  distance  at  twenty  miles,  though  the  men  insisted 
it  must  have  been  at  least  twenty-five.  We  were  obliged  to 
make  occasional  detours  from  a  straight  line  of  travel,  owing 
to  the  character  of  the  ice  and  snow  fallen  in  with. 

While  crossing  the  lake  a  number  of  cracks  were  found,  and 
it  frequently  occurred  that  the  ice  sank  an  inch  or  two  when- 
ever the  party  passing  a  crack  reached  other  ice.  It  seemed 
evident  from  this  that  the  glacier  streams  which  discharged  into 
the  lake  must  be  frozen  quite  or  entirely  up  during  the  winter. 
The  supply  of  the  lake  being  thus  cut  off,  there  is  a  difference 
between  the  winter  and  summer  levels  not  far  from  six  or  seven 
feet,  and  the  ice  gradually  sinks  as  the  water  fails. 

The  tracks  of  wolves  at  the  camp  indicated  a  visit  during 
our  absence,  but  the  ptarmigan  which  we  had  cached  under 
snow-blocks  was  still  undisturbed. 

Time  observations  were  taken,  and  the  next  morning,  after 
caching  fourteen  cans  of  beef,  we  started  at  seven  o'clock  and 
travelled  with  the  utmost  rapidity  until  noon,  when  I  stopped  for 
latitude,  and  decided  to  make  camp  No.  9  at  that  point.  The 
distance  travelled  in  this  march  was  estimated  at  seventeen  miles. 
Our  journey  lay  along  the  open  river  for  a  time,  and  I  took  a 
number  of  observations  to  determine  its  discharge.  The  river 
at  that  point  was  seventy-five  yards  wide  and  two  feet  deep, 
with  a  rocky  bottom.  From  the  mean  of  these  observations, 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  291 

the  current  of  the  river  was  determined  to  be  over  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  a  minute,  or  about  four  miles  an  hour. 

During  the  day,  as  we  were  marching,  four  musk-oxen  were 
seen  on  the  hill  to  the  east,  and  later,  after  making  camp,  six 
others  observed  to  the  southeast.  It  seemed  possible  to  us 
that  they  attained  the  summit  of  these  hills  from  the  valley 
visited  by  Connell  at  camp  No.  3.  It  is  evident  that  they  could 
not  reach  the  river  directly,  as  the  cliffs  were  far  too  precipitous. 

A  long  rest  of  twelve  hours  put  our  feet  in  good  condition  for 
our  next  march,  which  began  at  midnight  of  May  4th  to  5th. 

A  few  scattered  snow-flakes  and  a  very  high  temperature  of 
+31°  (—0.6°  C.)  seemed  to  threaten  bad  weather,  the  first  of  the 
journey.  During  the  day  we  passed  a  very  small  island  near  the 
eastern  shore,  which  had  not  been  noticed  by  us  on  our  outward 
trip.  Another  small  island  was  discovered  near  the  western 
shore  some  distance  lower  down  the  river.  It  was  some  fifty 
yards  across  by  a  hundred  yards  long,  with  an  elevation  of  ten 
to  fifteen  feet  above  the  river.  It  consisted  almost  entirely  of 
gravel,  with  but  scanty  vegetation.  The  number  of  water-pools 
on  the  ice  had  increased  since  our  upward  journey,  and  detours 
were  occasionally  necessary  to  pass  them.  They  finally  drove 
us  to  the  eastern  shore  near  the  large  island  discovered  in  our 
outward  journey. 

We  passed  the  ice-dam  on  the  eastern  end,  where  there  were 
large  ridges  of  heavy  ice  in  front  of  and  parallel  to  the  main 
dam.  A  careful  examination  of  this  ice-dam  left  me  of  the 
opinion  that  there  were  no  natural  falls  at  this  point,  but  that  it 
was  simply  a  dam  of  ice  formed  from  natural  causes  during  the 
winter.  Bender  was  here  detached  with  a  knapsack  to  take  up 
the  cache  left  at  camp  No.  4,  while  we  proceeded,  and  after 
seven  hours'  travelling  made  camp  No.  10  on  the  ice  in  Chandler 
Fiord. 


292  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [May, 

After  an  hour,  as  breakfast  was  ready,  and  Private  Bender 
not  in  sight,  "Whisler  was  sent  to  meet  him.  A  slight  fog  had 
risen  in  the  meantime,  which  was  quite  thick  and  rendered 
it  possible  to  see  only  a  short  distance.  Connell,  going  a  few 
hundred  yards  from  camp,  kept  Whisler  in  sight,  while  I  in  turn 
kept  Connell  in  sight.  Finally  Bender  arrived,  nearly  two 
hours  behind  us.  He  had  lost  himself  in  the  fog,  and,  strange 
to  say,  had  turned  his  face  up  the  stream  and  recrossed  the  dam 
before  he  found  out  where  he  was.  Finding  himself  on  the 
wrong  shore,  he  waited  for  the  fog  to  clear  before  trying  it  again. 
He  informed  me  that  on  the  western  side  the  river  had  com- 
menced breaking  up,  and  in  one  place  a  water-hole  over  a  hun- 
dred feet  in  length  had  formed.  The  ice-dam  to  the  extreme 
west  was  nearly  level  with  the  land,  which  explains  why  so 
much  smooth  fresh-water  ice  was  found  on  that  side  and  but 
little  or  none  on  the  east. 

The  weather  was  so  warm  that  I  slept  with  open  tent  and  flap. 

We  left  camp  Ko.  11  that  morning  about  8.30.  Camped  at 
7.08  P.M.,  May  6th,  between  camps  1  and  2.  Whisler's  eyes 
pained  him  very  much  from  snow-blindness,  and  he  could 
scarcely  see.  I  dropped  wine  of  opium  in  them. 

On  May  7th  we  started  about  4.30  A.M.,  and  in  five  hours 
reached  the  tent  at  Basil  Norris  Bay,  where  we  rested  a  few 
minutes  to  melt  ice  for  water.  Leaving  here  all  our  supply  of 
food,  except  enough  for  a  single  meal,  we  reached  French  Cape  a 
little  before  noon,  quite  worn  out  with  our  seven  hours'  travel. 

Two  hours  were  spent  in  preparing  a  meal,  after  which  the 
threatening  weather  was  such  that  I  decided  to  attempt  to 
reach  the  home  station,  although  we  were  very  much  exhausted. 
We  left  at  1.45  P.M.,  at  which  time  a  strong  easterly  wind  pre- 
vailed, followed  a  short  time  later  by  occasional  light  snow. 

After  a  little  over  two  hours'  travelling,  Connell  complained  of 


1882.]  LAKE  HAZEN.  293 

severe  cramps  in  his  legs  and  knees,  and  a  few  minutes  after 
was  obliged  to  give  out  and  quit  the  drag-belt.  I  endeavored 
to  prevail  upon  him  to  get  on  the  sledge,  which  he  begged  per- 
mission not  to  do,  saying  he  was  able  to  hobble  into  camp  by  him- 
self. Stopping  occasionally  to  keep  Connell  in  view,  as  I  was  un- 
willing to  permit  him  to  get  out  of  our  sight  during  the  wind 
and  snow  in  his  exhausted  condition,  we  were  finally  met  a  half 
mile  from  the  station  by  Schneider  and  Henry,  one  of  whom 
took  my  place  in  the  drag-belt,  while  the  other  went  out  to  meet 
and  assist  Connell.  A  few  minutes  later  Doctor  Pavy  and  Jens 
came  with  the  dog-sledge,  which  was  sent  to  bring  Connell  in. 
We  reached  Conger  at  7.20  P.M.,  having  travelled  thirteen  hours 
and  a  distance  of  nearly  thirty  miles  since  making  our  last 
camp. 

This  sledge  journey  was  an  exceedingly  fruitful  one  in  its  re- 
sults. It  disclosed  physical  conditions  in  the  interior  of  Grinnell 
Land  hitherto  unsuspected.  The  absence  of  discharging  gla- 
ciers, which  had  excited  remark  on  account  of  the  extreme  lati- 
tude of  Grinnell  Land,  was  now  explained  by  the  discovery  of 
a  broken,  rugged  country,  intersected  by  a  system  of  fiords  and 
lakes,  which  readily  drains,  during  the  short  Arctic  summer, 
the  inconsiderable  snow-fall.  The  valleys,  bare  of  snow,  give 
birth  to  vegetation,  luxuriant  for  the  latitude,  which  serves  as 
pasturage  for  considerable  game.  The  presence  of  the  glaciers, 
bursting  through  the  Garfield  range,  proved  the  existence  of 
an  ice-cap  on  the  northern  part  of  Grinnell  Land,  and  infer- 
entially  a  radically  different  topography  from  the  country  in 
the  vicinity  of  Discovery  Harbor  and  Lake  Hazen. 

This  journey  involved  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles'  travel, 
which  was  made  in  twelve  days.  The  rate  of  travel  compares 
favorably  even  with  McClintock's  most  extraordinary  journeys. 
The  system  of  reasonable  journeys,  and  immediate  travel  after 


294 


THREE  -YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


necessary  rest,  ample  and  nourishing  food,  exceedingly  light 
equipment,  and  smooth  ice,  all  favored  and  facilitated  rapid 
progress.  To  these  conditions  were  united  others  essential  to 
successful  sledging — the  hearty  co-operation,  great  persistency, 
and  untiring  energy  of  the  enlisted  men  of  the  party. 


Icebergs,  from  a  Photograph. 


LIEUTENANT   JAMES  B.    LOCKWOOD. 
(The  leader  to  the  Farthest  Forth.) 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  FAETHEST  NORTH. — CONGER  TO  CAPE  BRYANT. 

[LIEUTENANT  LOCKWOOD.] 

"\TTHILE  the  journeys  described  in  the  immediately  pre- 
ceding chapters  were  being  made,  the  exploration  of 
the  .North  Greenland  coast  was  being  conducted  under  the 
efficient  and  active  leadership  of  Lieutenant  James  B.  Lock- 
wood.  The  advance  sledge  was  to  be  hauled  by  dogs,  with 
Eskimo  Christiansen  as  driver,  and  one  enlisted  man  (preferably 
Sergeant  Brainard)  was  to  be  selected,  at  Lieutenant  Lockwood's 
discretion,  from  the  most  energetic  of  the  supporting  party  at 
its  farthest.  Until  the  selection  was  made,  Sergeant  Jewell  was 
to  be  with  the  dog-sledge.  The  supporting  sledges — four  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  pattern — were  to  be  hauled  by  Sergeants 
Brainard,  Lynn,  .Ralston,  Elison,  Corporal  Salor,  Privates 
Biederbick,  Connell,  Frederick,  Henry,  and  Whisler. 

The  weight  of  these  men  averaged  176  pounds ;  ranging  from 
Whisler,  156,  to  Henry,  203.  The  average  amount  of  extra 
clothing  was  ten  pounds  per  man,  consisting  of  sleeping-gear, 
extra  socks,  mittens,  and  jumpers.  The  clothing  in  wear  was 
generally  double  suits  of  underclothing — one  woollen  and  one 
blanket — three  pairs  socks,  with  outer  ordinary  wool  clothing, 
over  which  a  light  duck  suit  was  worn  to  keep  the  snow  from 
adhering  to  the  wool.  A  few  only  wore  outer  clothing  of  skin. 
The  foot-gear  was  made  up  of:  moccasins,  and  Greenland,  Lab- 


296  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

rador,  and  canvas  boots ;  enough  being  taken  to  furnish  each 
man  with  two  pairs. 

Sergeant  Braiuard,  in  charge  of  the  sledges  Hayes,  Kane, 
Hall,  and  Beaumont,  left  the  station  April  3d,  in  a  temperature 
of  —29°  (—34°  C.).  They  dragged  on  leaving  seventy-eight 
pounds  per  man,  which  was  to  be  increased  slightly  at  Depots 
"  A  "  and  "  B,"  and  on  leaving  their  base  of  supplies,  in  New- 
man Bay,  was  to  be  as  near  two  hundred  pounds  as  the  state  of 
the  ice  would  permit  them  to  haul.  This  accorded  with  my 
views,  that  the  extreme  hard  work  of  sledging  should  be  gradu- 
ally reached  in  order  to  avoid  overwork,  which  is  most  probable 
in  the  early  days  of  strength  and  enthusiasm. 

A  few  remarks  bearing  on  the  dangers  of  sledging,  and  the 
importance  of  caution  and  discretion,  were  made  to  the  men  on 
leaving.  A  general  salute  was  given  the  party  near  the  station, 
and  I  accompanied  them  with  the  puppy-team  as  far  as  Dutch 
Island. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  had  remained  at  the  station  to  perfect 
some  personal  arrangements,  and  left  the  following  day.  His 
team  nominally  was  of  eight  dogs,  averaging  sixty-two  pounds 
weight ;  but  one  dog,  weighing  forty  pounds,  never  hauled  the 
food  she  ate. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood's  orders  read  :  "  You  are  charged  with 
the  full  control  and  arrangement  of  the  most  important  sledg- 
ing and  geographical  work  of  this  expedition — of  exploring  the 
northeast  coast  of  Greenland.  I  am  not  unaware  of  the  diffi- 
cult position  in  which  you  are  necessarily  placed  from  our  in- 
ability to  lay  out  suitable  depots  to  the  northeast  during  the 
past  autumn,  from  the  limited  number  of  your  supporting 
parties,  and  from  your  working  with  a  wide  strait  covered  with 
ice  separating  you  from  your  base  of  supplies  and  field  of 
operations.  The  energy  and  discretion  already  displayed,  united 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  297 

to  your  endurance  and  experience  (tested  by  nearly  two 
hundred  miles  of  field  work  this  season,  with  temperatures 
lower  than  90°  below  the  freezing-point),  give  me  strong 
assurance  of  success.  .  .  .  Memoranda  showing  the  location 
of  supplies  to  the  northward  will  be  furnished  you.  The  object 
of  this  work  will  be  to  explore  the  coast  of  Greenland  near 
Cape  Britannia.  Should  you  be  fortunate  enough  to  pass  be- 
yond that  point,  you  will  proceed  in  such  direction  as  you  think 
will  best  carry  out  the  objects  of  the  expedition — the  extension 
of  knowledge  regarding  lands  within  the  Arctic  Circle.  .  .  . 
At  your  farthest,  one  day  must  be  spent  in  determining  your 
position  .  .  .  and  in  making  such  other  observations  as 
will  be  practicable.  It  is  particularly  desired  that  the  period 
and  character  of  the  tides  be  noted,  if  any  way  possible. 
From  the  farthest  land,  specimens  of  the  various  rocks,  vege- 
tation, etc.,  should  be  obtained.  .  .  .  While  it  is  desirable 
that  Lieutenant  Beaumont's  cairns  be  visited,  you  are  to  make 
no  considerable  detours  for  such  purposes.  .  .  .  The  depots 
should  be  carefully  noted  and  secured  ;  each  member  of  the 
party  should  be  shown  their  exact  location.  .  .  .  Your 
attention  is  invited  to  the  danger  of  pursuing  your  journey 
beyond  such  point  as  your  provisions  are  half  consumed,  and  to 
remaining  or  venturing  any  distance  from  the  land  after  lanes 
of  water  have  once  shown  themselves." 

The  depot  at  Cape  Beechy,  with  those  established  on  the 
Greenland  coast  during  March,  was  sufficiently  supplied  to 
enable  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  main  party  to  haul  their  supple- 
mentary supplies  from  Depot  "  B  "  at  one  load.  This  left  to 
him  the  collection  at  Polaris  Boat  Camp,  in  Newman  Bay, 
of  the  stores  at  Depot  "  E "  and  on  the  floe  in  Kobeson 
Channel. 

The  supporting  party  camped   at  Depot  "A,"  near  Cape 


298  THREE  YEAES   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Murchison,  where  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  had  thoughtfully 
preceded  them  and  arranged  the  tent  for  their  reception.  The 
temperature  on  arriving  was  — 32°  (—35.6°  C.),  which  fell  to 
— 41°  (—40.6°  C.),  making  their  first  night  a  severe  one,  though 
it  was  passed  satisfactorily.  Their  loads  were  there  increased 
to  ninety  pounds  per  man. 

They  reached  Depot  "  B,"  April  4th,  in  six  hours'  travel,  and 
camped  in  the  snow-house,  at  which  point  they  were  joined  by 
Lieutenant  Lockwood,  who  left  Conger  that  evening,  with  the 
dog-sledge. 

On  the  evening  of  the  5th  the  entire  party  left  Depot  "  B," 
hauling  a  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  to  each  man  and  a  hun- 
dred to  each  dog.  Cape  Beechy  was  reached  after  about  four 
and  a  half  hours'  travel,  as  Sergeant  Brainard  says,  comparing 
the  time  with  that  made  in  his  previous  journey:  "An  hour 
and  twenty  minutes  in  favor  of  the  Hudson  Bay  sledge  with 
one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds,  as  against  the  McClintock  with 
one  hundred  pounds.  The  work  performed  by  these  (Hudson 
Bay)  sledges  is  very  gratifying  to  us,  the  friction  being  much 
less  than  with  the  English  sledge." 

Whisler  complaining  of  illness,  the  party  camped  after  seven 
hours'  travel.  Here  the  field  sledge-ration  commenced,  the 
alcohol  (fuel)  allowance  (five  ounces)  of  which  was  not  con- 
sidered satisfactory,  barely  melting  the  frozen  meat.  The 
fuel  allowance  of  the  British  expedition,  1875,  was  four 
ounces.  As  the  English  allowance  had  been  unsatisfactory  at 
times,  after  consultation  with  my  officers  I  fixed  our  ration  at 
four  and  a  half  ounces,  which  was  increased,  under  certain 
circumstances,  to  five.  Subsequently  six  ounces  were  fixed  on 
as  a  proper  ration,  and  that  amount  proved  satisfactory. 

At  this  camp,  Brainard  says :  "  Ealston,  cook ;  temperature 
about  —40°  (—40°  C.);  his  duties  were  rendered  very  trying 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  299 

on  account  of  having  frozen  his  fingers  during  the  operation  of 
the  morning  meal.  Our  sleeping-bags  were  like  iron,  and  sleep 
was  out  of  the  question  ;  our  teeth  were  clattering  and  clash- 
ing together  in  a  most  dangerous  manner.  Connell  froze  one 
of  his  toes  in  the  sleeping-bag ;  it  is  very  sore  and  considerably 
swollen,  but  he,  however,  intends  to  retain  his  place  in  the 
drag-ropes ;  Henry  suffering  with  rheumatism,  and  says  he  can- 
not proceed,  and  so  has  been  ordered  to  return  to  the  station. 
So  much  for  huge  men  for  Arctic  service." 

The  temperature  fell  as  low  as  -48.8°  (—44.9°  C.).  The 
party  escaped  serious  frost-bites,  except  Connell,  who  was  badly 
frost-bitten  on  the  ball  of  his  foot.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  says : 
"  Henry  was  suffering  from  rheumatism,  and  thought  he  would 
have  to  be  hauled  back  if  he  went  any  farther,  so  I  directed 
him  to  return  to  the  station.  Connell  thought  he  was  able  to 
go  on  ;  was  willing  and  anxious  to  try  at  any  rate." 

They  moved  forward  from  this  camp  on  the  evening  of  April 
6th.  After  Connell  had  limped  along  painfully  for  an  hour,  he 
was  so  done  up  that  Lieutenant  Lockwood  says:  "  He  had  fallen 
out  of  the  drag-ropes,  being  hardly  able  to  get  along  at  all.  He 
reluctantly  agreed  to  going  back.  Leaving  the  main  party  to 
proceed,  I  left  my  load  and  took  Connell  to  Cape  Beechy," 
from  which  point  he  thought  he  could  proceed  by  himself. 
During  the  day  they  fell  in  with  several  strips  of  rubble  from 
young  ice,  in  which  the  Hudson  Bay  sledges,  entirely  unsuit- 
able for  such  ice,  were  frequently  overturned.  The  rough, 
pointed  ice  damaged  the  sledges,  and  other  mishaps  made 
travel  correspondingly  slow  and  laborious.  Lieutenant  Lock- 
wood  being  absent  with  Connell,  Brainard  camped,  owing  to 
high  wind,  after  seven  and  a  half  hours'  travelling. 

Here  Brainard  was  cook,  in  a  temperature  of  —27°  (—32.8° 
C.),  with  a  brisk  wind.  His  field  journal  says :  "  This  morning 


300  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

the  functions  of  cook  are  particularly  disagreeable,  with  a 
strong  wind  threatening  to  carry  away  our  tent,  and  in  addition 
I  have  to  face  the  scowling  countenances  of  ray  companions, 
who  gloomily  take  their  breakfasts  in  the  small  pannikins.  The 
obvious  cause  of  these  half -angry  faces  is  the  lack  of  meat,  for 
which  hard  bread  was  substituted.  Ritenbeuk,  the  king-dog, 
ably  assisted  by  Gypsy,  the  queen,  entered  the  tent  while  we 
were  sleeping,  and  carried  away  the  meat  already  prepared  for 
our  evening  meal.  As  no  allowance  for  thieving  dogs  was 
made  in  our  scale  of  provisions,  we  are  compelled  to  fast  until 
the  next  meal." 

From  this  camp  Lieutenant  Lockwood  started  in  advance  to 
do  work  with  the  dog-sledge,  leaving  Sergeant  Brainard  again 
in  charge  of  the  supporting  parties.  This  arrangement  con- 
tinued until  Cape  Bryant  was  reached,  as  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
employed  his  time,  with  the  more  rapid  dog-sledge,  in  alternately 
advancing  his  own  load  and  in  assisting  the  man-sledges. 

Shortly  after  starting  the  brisk  wind  developed  into  a  severe 
storm,  which  drove  Brainard  to  camp  in  less  than  three  hours. 

Salor  and  Biederbick,  through  a  misunderstanding,  allowed 
themselves  to  become  separated  from  the  main  party,  and  had 
to  be  hunted  up  in  the  furious  storm  by  Sergeant  Brainard,  who 
finally  came  upon  them,  burrowed  in  a  snow-bank,  with  only  a 
rubber  blanket  to  protect  them.  He  succeeded  in  bringing 
them  safely  to  the  tent,  where  the  rest  of  the  party  were 
anxiously  awaiting  them,  alarmed  as  to  their  safety. 

The  storm  increased  to  a  violent  gale,  the  wind  reaching,  it 
was  estimated,  sixty  miles  an  hour,  from  which  they  were  partly 
sheltered  by  huge  bergs  immediately  to  the  windward,  or  their 
tents  would  not  have  stood  for  a  moment.  The  barometer  rose 
in  twenty-one  hours  over  six-tenths  of  an  inch,  and  the  temper- 
ature 26°  (14.4°  C.).  The  wretchedness  of  the  party  was  ex- 


THE   FARTHEST  NORTH.  301 

treme,  as  the  drifting  snow,  weighting  down  their  already 
crowded  tents,  cramped  them  excessively,  and  rendered  the 
proper  preparation  of  their  meals  impossible. 

Finally,  on  the  evening  of  April  9th,  the  storm  abated,  when 
Sergeant  Brainard  says  :  "  "We  are  anxious  to  quit  this  misera- 
ble place  at  any  price.  We  have  been  in  the  sleeping-bags 
about  forty-five  hours,  suffering  discomforts  that  words  would 
fail  to  convey  any  idea  of,  and  which  can  only  be  appreciated 
by  those  who  have  had  a  similar  experience." 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  caught  by  the  same  storm  near 
Cape  Sumner.  In  passing  that  point  he  says : 

"  Here,  instead  of  the  protection  I  had  anticipated  from  the 
bluffs,  we  encountered  a  series  of  blasts  and  whirlwinds  of  snow, 
disagreeable  in  the  extreme,  and  making  it  difficult  to  keep  the 
sledge  from  sliding  sideways  into  the  pits  formed  by  the  snow 
adjoining  every  mass  of  ice."  Reaching  a  large  snow-drift,  he 
continues  :  "  We  dug  a  small  hole  in  the  snow-bank  and  crawled 
inside,"  where  "  how  long  exactly  we  remained  I  don't  know  ; 
I  was  glad  to  leave  even  before  the  storm  had  ceased.  .  . 
We  had  no  light  except  from  some  cracks,  which  closed  and 
opened  continuously  through  some  unknown  agency,  occasion- 
ally new  cracks  forming.  This  movement  was  accompanied  by 
a  noise  which  was  rather  alarming,  until  I  found  that  our  abode 
didn't  decrease  in  size  thereby.  On  crawling  out  when  the 
storm  had  ended,  the  dogs  were  almost  concealed  from  view  by 
the  snow  which  had  drifted  over  them." 

Near  Cape  Sumner  the  supporting  party  met  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  returning  to  their  assistance.  The  travelling  that 
night  was  fairly  good,  and  the  men  were  somewhat  cheered  by 
the  sight  of  the  sun,  which  then  was  above  the  horizon  at  mid- 
night. After  passing  Cape  Sumner  there  was  so  much  rubble 
and  broken  ice  that,  on  arriving  at  Polaris  Boat  Camp,  after  ten 


302  THREE  TEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

hours'  travel,  the  sledge  Beaumont  had  been  so  badly  injured  as 
to  be  useless,  the  bottom  being  completely  worn  out  by  friction 
over  sharply  pointed  ice. 

Violent  squalls  were  experienced  at  Boat  Camp,  which  broke 
the  poles  and  blew  down  the  tent,  driving  the  parties  eventually 
to  snow-burrows.  The  wind  was  so  violent  that,  while  at  work, 
the  men  were  frequently  blown  over,  and  one  gust  lifted  the 
dog-sledge,  with  its  load  of  two  hundred  pounds,  bodily  from 
the  ground.  The  sledge  struck  Ralston  on  the  forehead, 
knocking  him  several  yards  and  injuring  him  severely.  An  at- 
tempt to  cook  supper  resulted  only  in  the  loss  of  the  fuel,  and 
the  party  lunched  on  hard  bread  and  frozen  meat.  Brainard, 
who  was  an  uncomplaining  man  of  great  endurance,  says:  "We 
imagine  that  no  other  party  in  the  Arctic  regions  has  ever 
passed  through  discomforts  similar  to  those  experienced  by  us 
during  the  past  few  hours,  which  have  left  us  in  a  miserably 
forlorn  and  dejected  condition." 

The  party  were  at  this  camp  forty  hours  before  they  were 
able  to  obtain  a  satisfactory  meal.  The  air-holes  in  the  snow- 
houses  continually  filled  with  drifting  snow,  and  on  an  attempt 
to  cook  a  meal  the  alcohol  lamp  refused  to  burn  on  account  of 
the  vitiated  atmosphere.  As  the  air-holes  filled  up  as  rapidly 
as  made,  they  immediately  dug  out  the  entrance,  when  Whisler 
fainted,  and  others  suffered  wretchedly  from  the  confinement  in 
such  bad  air. 

As  Whisler  complained  of  severe  lung  pains  and  commenced 
spitting  blood,  and  Biederbick  was  suffering  with  bladder  trouble, 
Lieutenant  Lockwood  decided  to  send  them  back  to  Conger. 
Biederbick,  despite  his  wretched  condition,  assured  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  that  he  would  be  responsible  for  Whisler's  safe  re- 
turn to  Conger,  where  they  arrived  in  fair  condition  April  13th. 
Connell  and  Henry  had  reached  the  station  on  the  8th.  Dur- 


THE  FAETHEST  NORTH.  303 

ing  Henry's  return,  which  was  slightly  in  advance  of  Connell, 
the  only  personal  encounter  with  a  wolf  was  experienced.  He 
reported  that  on  entering  the  tunnel  to  the  snow-house  a  huge 
wolf  met  him,  and  running  over  his  back  escaped.  Later  he 
claimed  to  have  seen  three  wolves  and  that  two  of  them  fol- 
lowed him  to  Dutch  Island.  Connell  met  a  wolf  between  Cape 
Beechy  and  Depot  "  B." 


An  Arctic  Wolf,  killed  near  Fort  Conger. 
[From  a  photograph.] 

The  party  were  employed  until  the  16th  in  accumulating  at 
Boat  Camp  the  stores  of  Depot  "  E  "  and  those  on  the  floe  in 
Robeson  Channel,  which  was  accomplished  under  very  difficult 
and  discouraging  circumstances. 

A  succession  of  violent  gales  rendered  it  almost  impossible 
for  the  party  to  do  work  of  any  kind.  Their  tents  were  repeat- 
edly blown  down,  their  travelling-gear  scattered,  their  sleeping- 
bags  so  badly  frozen  that  at  times  the  strength  of  four  men  was 
required  to  open  them ;  and,  worse  than  all,  the  conditions  were 
such  that  the  proper  preparation  of  their  meals  was  nearly  im- 


304  THREE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

possible.  A  new  peril  also  threatened  them  along  the  Green- 
land coast  south  of  Cape  Sumner.  Sergeant  Brainard  says : 
"  From  the  high  cliff,  huge  rocks  were  blown  which  came 
crashing  down  to  the  very  edge  of  the  floe,  endangering  our 
lives  and  warning  us  that  travelling  on  the  ice-foot  was  too 
dangerous  to  be  persisted  in.  In  passing  a  narrow  ravine  a 
beautiful  cascade  of  snow  was  seen,  being  formed  by  the  wind 
rushing  violently  down  a  narrow,  rocky  cut  in  the  face  of  an 
abrupt  cliff,  carrying  with  it  a  small  and  constant  amount  of  fine 
snow,  which  leaped  from  rock  to  rock,  resembling  a  silver  moun- 
tain stream  falling  from  a  series  of  ledges." 

"While  this  work  was  progressing,  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  fear- 
ing that  the  runners  of  the  dog-sledge  would  not  last  because  of 
the  rough  ice,  returned  to  Fort  Conger  and  obtained  an  extra 
set,  which  were  taken  along  for  emergencies. 

While  at  Boat  Camp  violent  storms,  and  the  scattered  condi- 
tion of  the  stores,  prevented  constant  watch  over  the  dogs,  and 
they  succeeded  in  stealing  about  forty  pounds  of  bacon  and 
beef.  Fortunately  the  large  amount  of  stores  transported  to 
that  point  prevented  any  inconvenience  from  this  loss,  which 
otherwise  might  have  had  very  serious  results.  The  necessity 
of  packing  the  meat  for  the  journey  in  light  muslin  bags  facili- 
tated the  theft. 

Examining  the  sledges  after  this  work,  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
decided  that  two  were  unserviceable,  which  left  but  two  for 
further  work.  He  expected  to  obtain  a  third  at  Cape  Beechy, 
but,  on  visiting  that  depot,  discovered  that  it  had  been  so  mis- 
placed that,  owing  to  the  snow,  he  was  unable  to  find  it.  In 
place  of  the  injured  sledges,  the  Xares  was  extemporized  from 
the  extra  dog-sledge  runners  and  slats. 

One  of  the  violent  gales  wrenched  the  cedar  boat,  cached  by 
Sergeant  Brainard  at  the  Gap,  from  its  bed  and  rendered  it  un- 


306  TIIEEE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

serviceable ;  it  must  have  been  lifted  bodily  and  blown  a  con- 
siderable distance,  as  it  was  found  on  the  ice-foot. 

At  10  P.M.  of  April  16th,  the  party  started  from  Boat  Camp 
for  their  northern  trip,  taking  three  hundred  rations.  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood  was  in  advance,  hauling  about  eight  hundred 
pounds  with  a  team  of  eight  dogs.  Then  came,  second,  the  large 
sledge  Xares,  drawn  by  Sergeants  Brainard  and  Ralston  and 
Corporal  Salor;  estimated  amount  drawn  by  each  man,  two 
hundred  and  seventeen  pounds.  Third,  the  Hudson  Bay  sledge, 
Hall,  drawn  by  Sergeant  Jewell  and  Private  Frederick  ;  esti- 
mated amount  dragged  by  each,  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds. 
Fourth,  the  Hudson  Bay  sledge,  Hayes,  dragged  by  Sergeant 
Lynn  and  Corporal  Elison  ;  estimated  amount  dragged  by  each, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds. 

The  average  weight  drawn  by  each  man  was  one  hundred  and 
eighty- two  pounds,  and  by  each  dog  one  hundred  pounds.  The 
"  constant  weights  "  of  the  dog-sledge  were  two  hundred  and 
forty-three  pounds,  and  of  the  remaining  sledges  three  hundred 
and  seventy-five  pounds. 

Eight  hours'  travelling  brought  the  party  to  what  was  sup- 
posed to  be  the  mouth  of  Gap  Valley,  but  it  eventually  proved 
to  be  a  ravine  (Rocky  Gorge)  considerably  farther  to  the  east- 
ward. Here  they  camped. 

After  tremendous  exertions,  consequent  on  the  overland 
travelling,  the  entire  party  reached  the  sea-coast  a  little  to  the 
eastward  of  Repulse  Harbor,  on  the  morning  of  April  22d, 
after  five  days'  travel.  Their  journey  was  much  prolonged,  and 
their  difficulties  increased,  by  their  error  in  regard  to  the  Gap 
Valley.  They  travelled  instead  through  Gorge  Creek  and  Lost 
River  Canons,  a  series  of  tortuous,  winding  ravines,  which 
greatly  lengthened  their  route,  as  well  as  taxed  their  strength 
by  compelling  them  to  cross  a  divide  of  considerable  elevation 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  307 

above  the  sea.  On  the  20th  of  April  the  temperature  in  these 
ravines  fell  to  —40°  (—40°  C.),  an  unprecedentedly  low  tem- 
perature for  such  a  late  season  of  the  year. 

The  character  of  the  route  passed  over  is  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  from  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  diary.  On  the 
17th  of  April  he  reconnoitred  Rocky  Gorge,  the  grade  of 
which  was  at  first  easy.  The  following  day  he  says :  "  We  came 
to  the  narrow  gorge  referred  to.  Its  vertical  sides  were  but  a 
few  feet  apart ;  under  foot  the  stones  were  exposed.  Passing 
this  the  stream-bed  widened  and  ran  between  sloping  hills,  but 
we  encountered  at  the  same  time  deep,  soft  snow.  This  was 
the  general  character  of  the  travelling — ravines  with  soft  snow, 
varied  by  gorges  at  intervals,  with  exposed  stones  and  frag- 
ments of  rocks.  The  stream  is  very  tortuous,  but  the  grade 
very  slight  its  entire  length,  except  when  interrupted  here 
and  there  by  low  banks  of  drifted  snow.  Its  general  course,  as 
near  as  I  could  judge,  is  southwest." 

"  April  18th  we  came  to  a  fork  of  the  ravine  coming  in 
from  the  north ;  the  first  branch  of  the  main  stream  which 
seemed  to  offer  a  practicable  route  to  the  north.  One  or  two 
had  been  passed,  but  they  were  so  narrow  and  steep — mere 
gullies— as  to  forbid  the  assumption  that  they  formed  part  of 
Lieutenant  Beaumont's  route.  It  was  the  route  of  this  officer, 
as  laid  down  on  his  map,  that  I  was  endeavoring  to  follow. 
However,  I  continued  on,  but  a  few  hundred  yards  beyond,  see- 
ing the  stream  bearing  decidedly  to  the  east,  I  left  the  sledge, 
and,  ascending  a  low  slope  to  the  left,  soon  found  myself  in  a 
'  divide  '  very  similar  to  the  *  divides '  of  the  western  prairies. 
To  the  north  the  '  breaks '  of  water-courses  running  in  that 
direction  could  be  seen.  On  the  slope  alluded  to  I  saw  a  bird, 
to  which  Frederik  gives  the  Eskimo  name  for  eagle ;  was  un- 
able to  get  a  shot.  ...  A  short  distance  beyond  found  my- 


308  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

self  on  a  level  plain,  its  broad  expanse  stretching  out  for  miles 
all  around.  The  weather  was  overcast,  threatening  snow,  but  I 
could  see  the  *  breaks '  to  the  north,  and  after  an  hour's  travel- 
ling reached  them — the  snow  affording  very  good  travelling — 
to  find  myself  in  a  water-course  quite  broad  and  offering 
a  very  good  route  ;  the  snow  was  generally  hard  ;  but  few 
stones  were  exposed  to  view  through  it.  The  general  course  of 
the  stream  seems  northwest ;  it  is  very  picturesque.  About 
7.15  A.M.  I  came  to  what  looks  like  a  gateway  opening  into  a 
street,  a  canon  running  east  and  west,  and  so  level  that  it  was 
with  many  doubts  I  concluded  to  the  left  was  down  stream 
(Lost  River)." 

On  April  20th,  in  a  reconnoissance  to  determine  his  exact 
location,  he  says:  "After  proceeding  half  a  mile  the  caflou 
changed  into  a  wide  valley,  bordered  by  sloping  hills,  which,  at 
a  little  distance  back,  assumed  the  proportion  of  mountains. 
Passing  the  point  of  a  hill,  which  hid  the  view  ahead  like  a 
cape,  the  valley  was  seen  to  continue  on  in  a  direction  a  little 
north  of  west  until  closed  up  entirely,  apparently  by  a  low  range 
of  hills.  At  11.45  A.M.  we  reached  this  place,  and  found  a 
narrow  gap.  I  here  delayed  thirty  minutes  and  ascended  a  hill, 
but  could  see  little  save  another  valley-like  expanse  ahead,  which 
seemed  to  turn  to  the  north.  In  half  an  hour  more  we  were 
opposite  this  opening  to  the  north,  and  saw  the  floebergs  lining 
the  long-looked-for  coast.  On  our  right  and  left  were  low, 
sloping  points  about  half  a  mile  distant  from  each  other ;  be- 
hind us  was  a  semi-circle  of  hills  and  mountains,  and  before  us 
a  level  delta  of  bare  stones.  A  few  feet  more  in  the  elevation 
of  the  polar  basin  would  make  a  bay  of  this  place ;  it  was 
doubtless  the  bed  of  one  some  time  in  the  past." 

Proceeding  toward  the  sea  Lieutenant  Lockwood  says : 

"  About  a  half  mile  from  the  coast  I  found  an  old  piece  of 


THE  FARTHEST   NORTH.  309 

drift-wood  about  six  feet  long,  four  inches  wide,  and  four 
inches  thick,  pine  or  fir  apparently,  and  evidently  split  from 
the  body  or  branch  of  a  tree.  It  was  partially  buried." 

Sergeant  Brainard's  field  notes  speak  of  the  journey  as  pain- 
fully laborious.  April  18th  he  says  :  "  Men  all  very  tired  ; 
Jewell  especially  appears  badly  used  up,  although  he  displayed 
plenty  of  pluck  in  remaining  in  the  drag-ropes  to  the  last 
moment."  They  were  obliged  to  double  up  their  crews,  travel 
three  to  five  times  over  the  road,  and  he  continued,  u  to  add 
to  our  discomforts,  aside  from  the  severe  strain  of  tramping 
through  snow  knee-deep  and  more,  there  was  a  high  wind  with 
snow  blowing  directly  in  our  faces.  .  .  .  Besides,  the  crust 
breaks  just  as  we  put  our  weight  on  the  drag-ropes  for  a  strong 
pull ;  this  taxes  the  strength  severely,  and  will  soon  break  down 
the  hard  workers."  April  19th  :  "  The  sledge  often  sinks  to 
the  slats,  making  it  necessary  to  resort  to  standing  pulls.  .  .  . 
Nares,  the  improvised  sledge,  dragging  on  slats  almost  con- 
stantly, but  Hudson  Bays  glide  over  snow  without  sinking 
much." 

The  lime-juice  pemmican,  so  highly  recommended  by  theo- 
retical authorities,  proved  very  distasteful,  and  could  only  be 
eaten  raw;  and,  then,  between  the  frozen  lime-juice  and  solid 
meat  their  lips  and  mouths  became  sore. 

Brainard  writes :  "  The  majority  of  the  party  complain  of 
sleeping  cold,  and  the  rest  assert  that  they  obtain  no  sleep  at 
all.  This  no  doubt  is  owing  to  the  condition  of  the  sleeping- 
bags,  which  were  frozen  so  badly  on  camping  this  morning  that 
three  men  were  required  to  unroll  them,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
thaw  ourselves  gradually  into  them."  April  21st :  "  We  en- 
countered sand-bars  and  gravel-beds,  which  could  not  be  avoid- 
ed, and  necessarily  our  labor  was  very  severe  and  tedious,  and 
frequent  standing  pulls  became  necessary.  This  with  a  north- 


310  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

east  wind  of  about  twenty  miles  an  hour.  .  .  .  Advanced 
the  remaining  Hudson  Bay  sledge  in  face  of  a  terrific  gale, 
which  drove  the  flying  snow  against  our  faces  with  a  force  and 
power  equal  to  handful  s  of  gravel  thrown  by  the  strongest  arm. 
This  caused  a  painful  smarting  sensation,  so  intense  as  to  be 
one  of  our  most  disagreeable  experiences.  The  party  is  much 
worn  out  by  the  extra  work.  I  think  eight  hours'  labor  suf- 
ficient, and  hereafter  will  confine  myself  strictly  to  that,  except 
under  special  circumstances." 

On  the  morning  of  April  22d  the  entire  party  again  camped 
together,  in  the  face  of  a  raging  storm,  on  the  lee  side  of  some 
huge  floebergs  a  short  distance  to  the  eastward  of  Hepulse 
Harbor.  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  party,  despairing  of  getting 
their  large  tent  to  stand,  pitched  their  small  shelter-tent,  which 
would  hardly  hold  them  on  account  of  the  rapidly  drifting  snow 
which  soon  covered  it.  "  While  at  supper,"  says  Lieutenant 
Lockwood,  "  some  of  the  dogs  thought  my  bag  a  good  place  to 
rest,  and  we  returned  to  find  it  covered  with  snow.  Remained 
in  bag  the  rest  of  the  day,  missing  supper  in  the  large  tent." 
Sergeant  Brainard,  enumerating  other  discomforts,  says  : 
"  Our  position  while  sleeping  (?)  is  necessarily  very  cramped, 
the  sleeping-bags  being  at  half-mast,  i.e.,  our  bodies  on  the 
ground  and  our  legs  run  up  against  the  tent-pole,  and  even 
then  only  about  half  our  bodies  can  be  inserted.  Wind  is  esti- 
mated at  forty  miles  per  hour.  The  trials  of  an  Arctic  cook 
are  numerous  and  irksome,  sorely  trying  to  the  patience  and 
temper  of  those  called  to  that  office.  After  the  fierce  storm 
had  slightly  abated,  '  Shorty '  (Frederick)  found  the  cooking  ap- 
paratus all  correct  except  the  fuel,  which  was  outside  under  a 
huge  drift.  The  deep  drifts  not  only  covered  the  sides  of  the 
tent,  but  also  completely  closed  the  entrance,  making  it  neces- 
sary for  him  to  tunnel  his  way  through  to  get  outside,  where  a 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  311 

new  difficulty  arose.  The  fuel  was  under  four  feet  of  snow, 
which  also  covered  the  shovels.  Despite  the  high  wind  that, 
sweeping  around  the  berg,  threatened  to  blow  him  away,  he 
was  not  a  moment  discouraged ;  but,  with  bare  hands,  com- 
menced manfully  digging  into  the  hard  drift,  occasionally  utter- 
ing a  deep  groan,  and  calling  down  maledictions  on  Arctic 
work  in  general.  His  meal,  however,  was  an  excellent  one, 
and,  after  getting  warmed  thoroughly  over  the  lamp  while 
cooking,  he  seemed  to  forget  all  his  recent  troubles,  and  the 
bright  side  of  his  usually  genial  nature  came  bubbling  to  the 
surface." 

"  The  storm  raged  till  early  morning  of  the  23d.  .  .  . 
The  dogs  ate  up  all  the  bacon  left,  about  twenty  pounds,  and 
about  half  as  much  English  beef,  during  our  sleep.  It  was 
packed  on  the  Nares,  and  out  of  their  reach  it  was  thought." 

A  runner  of  the  dog-sledge  broke  near  this  camp,  and  in  mov- 
ing forward,  on  April  23d,  it  was  necessary  to  replace  it  by  ex- 
changing runners  with  the  Nares.  Sergeant  Elison  succeeded 
in  repairing  the  runner  for  the  Nares,  but  it  gave  way  com- 
pletely in  a  rough  place,  and  the  load  was  moved  forward  by 
lashing  together  the  two  Hudson  Bay  sledges  and  putting  on  it 
the  loads  previously  carried  by  the  three  sledges.  This  im- 
provised sledge  was  hauled  only  with  great  effort,  as  it  dragged 
like  a  harrow.  They  camped  about  a  mile  west  of  Black  Horn 
Cliffs,  at  a  point  where  they  were  driven  from  the  ice-foot  to 
the  main  floe,  to  reach  which  they  were  obliged  to  cut  a  route 
for  a  half  mile  or  more  through  adjacent  rubble-ice. 

"  At  and  beyond  Drift  Point,"  says  Lieutenant  Lockwood, 
"  the  snow-slopes  and  soft  snow  were  met  with,  and  it  became 
necessary  to  '  double-up,'  i.e.,  advance  by  half  loads." 

Sergeant  Brainard's  field  notes  of  the  same  march  record  : 

"  Not  far  from  camp  I  found  a  seal-hole  newly  made,  and 


312  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

traces  of  that  animal  in  the  snow  which  had  lately  fallen, 
showing  that  he  had  become  alarmed  at  our  approach,  and 
had  sought  safety  under  the  ice.  .  .  .  After  passing  Drift 
Point  we  encountered  snow-slopes,  which  made  progress  slow 
and  tedious,  and  drove  the  party  in  despair  alternately  to  the 
tangled  rubble-ice  and  the  sharp,  difficult  snow-drifts.  The 
slopes  are  formed  by  the  snow  blowing  from  a  rather  abrupt 
hill  to  a  ridge  of  gigantic  floe-bergs  grounded  at  its  base,  filling 
entirely  the  intervening  space,  except  next  the  bergs  themselves, 
where  the  eddying  wind  prevents  the  snow  from  drifting  in. 
These  clefts,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  deep,  and  at  a  sharp 
incline,  make  the  snow-slopes  very  dangerous  surface  to  travel 
over,  as  the  sledge  is  liable  at  any  move  to  escape  the  control 
of  those  who  are  hauling  it  and  slide  into  this  deep  space,  even 
if  it  does  not  drag  down  the  unfortunate  sledge-men." 

Sergeant  Brainard's  experiences  illustrate  the  great  distance 
at  which  high  land  can  be  seen  on  clear  days.  From  the  east- 
ern end  of  Black  Horn  Cliffs,  on  April  24th,  lie  says:  "The 
clear  pellucid  nature  of  the  atmosphere  was  such  that  Capes 
Sheridan,  Union  and  Black  Cape,  as  well  as  several  points  in 
the  United  States  range  of  mountains  were  seen,  the  distance 
being  nearly  fifty  miles.  .  .  .  Temperature  11°  ( — 15.6°  C.). 
The  hot  blazing  sun  is  thawing  the  surface  of  the  black,  dirty 
snow  near  the  cliffs,  and  in  consequence  our  moccasins  are  com- 
pletely wet  through." 

About  this  time  my  letter  was  read  to  the  party  by  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood,  in  which  I  promised  a  conditional  reward  of 
$900  and  upward,  contingent  on  making  a  northing  surpassing 
any  ever  before  attained.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  offered  fifty 
per  cent,  additional  reward.  The  amount  was  to  be  distributed 
in  such  proportions  as  Lieutenant  Lockwood  should  judge  each 
man's  work  merited.  I  doubt  if  the  question  of  reward  ever 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  313 

entered  into  any  man's  thoughts  during  all  the  extraordinary 
suffering  and  exposure  to  which  this  journey  subjected  him,  but 
it  seemed  a  proper  intimation  that  success  would  be  in  some 
way  rewarded. 

The  Appropriation  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, on  a  statement  of  the  case  by  me,  after  my  return,  re- 
ported favorably  as  to  the  assumption  of  both  these  rewards, 
and  Congress  so  enacted. 

C.7 

They  started  on  their  tenth  march,  April  24th.  I  quote  from 
Lieutenant  Lockwood's  journal :  "  Opposite  Black  Horn  Cliffs, 
and  extending  a  short  distance  this  (the  west)  side,  was  a  clear, 
smooth  floe  of  ice  (formed  last  year,  I  suppose),  over  which, 
with  a  heavy  wind  on  our  backs,  we  made  rapid  progress. 
When  opposite  the  farther  (eastern)  end  of  the  cliffs,  and  some 
distance  from  shore,  farther  advance  was  stopped  by  a  consid- 
erable mass  of  rubble-ice."  Finally,  I  found  a  route — some- 
what circuitous — to  the  shore  without  much  difficulty,  and  con- 
tinued on  over  a  smooth,  level  floe  (last  year's  [?]),  which  ex- 
tended half  way  to  the  gorge.  The  rest  of  the  way  a  good 
route  was  found  on  a  hard,  gently  sloping  snow-slope,  inside  the 
line  of  bergs  and  hummocks  which  here  commenced  to  fringe 
the  shore.  I  saw  two  ptarmigan  in  winter  plumage  along  here. 
I  found  no  cairn  or  provisions,  though  I  went  half  a  mile  be- 
yond the  gorge.  The  violent  wind  made  my  return  slow  and 
very  uncomfortable." 

They  camped  east  of  and  close  to  the  Black  Horn  Cliffs. 

On  the  morning  of  April  25th  the  party  were  delayed  a  few 
hours  by  the  illness  of  Eskimo  Frederik,  who  complained  of 
stomach  trouble.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  finally  managed  to  get 
him  as  far  as  Rest  Gorge,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  to  the 
eastward  of  Black  Horn  Cliffs,  where  he  put  him  in  the  sleeping- 
bag  and  gave  him  a  drink  of  whiskey.  There  they  camped. 


314:  THREE  TEAKS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Sergeant  Brainard  writes:  "We  have  no  way  of  knowing 
exactly  what  ails  him,  and  he  has  no  way  of  making  known  his 
wishes  except  by  sighs,  which  is  a  very  unsatisfactory  method  of 
talking.  Not  knowing  of  any  other  remedy,  a  huge  drink  of 
hot  brandy  was  given  him,  and  we  soon  had  the  satisfaction 
of  learning  that  he  was  sleeping  soundly,  which  report  was 
afterward  confirmed  by  hearing  him  snore  loud  and  deep 
enough  to  almost  cause  the  ice-foot  to  vibrate ;  hopes  were  then 
entertained  of  his  speedy  recovery.  .  .  .  The  map  of  this 
coast  made  by  Lieutenant  Beaumont  is  a  model  of  accuracy  and 
correctness  ...  as  far  as  we  are  able  to  discover.  The 
two  sledges  Hayes  and  Hall  are  now  almost  worn  out  and  very 
hard  to  drag." 

During  the  afternoon  Ralston  and  Jewell  succeeded  in  find- 
ing the  English  cache  at  Stanton  Gorge ;  it  was  marked  by  a 
cairn  on  a  hill  somewhat  back  from  the  coast,  and  in  a  position 
which  did  not  show  up  well  to  the  westward. 

"  Before  starting,"  (April  26th)  says  Lieutenant  Lockwood, 
"  we  built  a  cairn  here,  and  left  one  day's  rations  for  entire  party 
and  the  dogs,  and  also  everything  in  the  way  of  clothing,  foot- 
gear, etc., that  could  be  spared. 

"  At  Stanton  Gorge,  Sergeant  Ralston  showed  me  Beaumont's 
cache,  which  was  situated  upon  a  '  shoulder '  of  the  mountains 
about  a  hundred  feet  high.  This  cache  consisted  of  forty 
rations,  fifty-six  pounds  sweet  pemmican,  ten  pounds  bacon, 
and  a  metal  box  containing  the  hard  bread,  potatoes,  etc.;  also 
a  can  of  rum  which  Sergeant  Ralston  had  brought  down  to 
Rest  Gorge  the  previous  day.  I  built  up  the  cairn  again,  and 
left  a  record  of  my  movements  to  date,  and  took  the  rations  to 
the  ice-foot,  in  order  that  they  might  be  convenient  to  the  dog- 
sledge  on  its  return,  for  I  thought  it  desirable  to  take  them  on 
to  Cape  Bryant." 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  315 

That  evening  the  party  camped  near  Frankfield  Bay,  when 
Lieutenant  Lockwood  records :  "  The  route  from  last  camp  led 
us,  as  far  as  Cape  Stanton,  inside  a  line  of  floebergs  on  a  snow- 
slope  quite  steep  in  places,  but  generally  hard  on  the  surface, 
and  offering  fair  travelling.  As  an  exception,  however,  it 
should  be  stated  that  there  is  an  ice-foot  for  some  little  distance 
at  Stanton  Gorge.  The  travelling  over  Hand  Bay  was  also 
quite  good." 

At  this  camp  writes  Brainard : 

"  Temperature  -23.5°  (-30.8°  C.).  Very  few  of  the  party 
obtained  any  sleep,  owing  to  low  temperature  and  frozen  sleep- 
ing-bag, in  which  much  frost  and  dampness  has  accumulated  the 
past  few  days." 

At  7  A.M.,  April  27th,  the  party  left  their  camp  opposite 
Mount  Lowe  and  marched  to  Cape  Bryant. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  says  :  "  Travelling  rather  heavy  (over 
snow-covered  ice-foot).  At  9.25  A.  M.  reached  east  shore  of  Frank- 
field  Bay.  On  the  way  the  snow  was  generally  hard  and  good. 
From  here  the  only  route,  or  at  least  the  best  route  forward, 
was  over  the  foot  of  a  hill,  the  ascent  rather  steep,  and  the 
slope  quite  so  ;  the  snow  on  it  had  packed  hard  and  smooth." 

"  I  saw  four  ptarmigan  and  killed  three  with  the  shot-gun. 
Frederik  had,  some  time  before,  when  by  himself,  killed  two 
with  the  pistol.  This  pistol,  which  had  a  wooden  stock,  simi- 
lar to  a  gun's,  fixed  to  it,  was  habitually  carried  on  the  sledge." 

"  The  travelling  since  leaving  Frankfield  Bay  has  been  along 
a  low  fore  shore,  excepting  two  or  three  indentations  of  the 
coast  where  we  crossed  old  floes.  Along  the  shore  we  travelled 
over  a  snow-covered  ice-foot,  or  what  is  generally  called  an  ice- 
foot (?);  sometimes  good  and  sometimes  bad,  never  very  bad. 
Over  the  floes  referred  to  it  was  generally  quite  fair." 

The  main  party  reached  Cape  Bryant,  8  P.M.,  April  27th, 


316  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

temperature  —14°  (—25.6°  C.),  after  over  eleven  hours'  steady 
work  in  the  drag-ropes.  Not  only  were  they  all  nearly  worn 
down  by  the  exhausting  effects  of  previous  hard  work  and  ex- 
posure, but  Sergeants  Brainard  and  Kalston  had  been  suffering 
from  snow-blindness,  and  Private  Frederick  from  an  injured 
knee.  The  party  consequently  remained  at  Cape  Bryant  April 
28th,  recuperating  and  preparing  for  further  work. 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  decided  to  send  back  the  supporting 
party,  and  advance  with  the  dog-sledge  and  two  men.  He 
writes : 

"  Personally  inspected  the  Hudson  Bay  sledges,  and  was  con- 
firmed in  the  declaration  of  all  the  men  that  they  were  entirely 
unserviceable  for  further  use.  One  I  cut  up  and  made  slats 
for  the  dog-sledge ;  the  other  was  repaired  sufficiently  to  carry 
the  constant  weights  of  Sergeant  Lynn's  party  on  their  return  to 
Boat  Camp." 

"  After  this  I  built  a  cairn  on  the  slope  of  the  hill,  perhaps 
a  quarter  mile  from  the  shore,  and  deposited  inside  the  forty 
English  rations,  all  our  own  that  were  surplus,  the  gun,  etc.,  and 
everything  I  thought  we  could  do  without.  I  also  left  a  rec- 
ord. Sergeant  Brainard  suffered  severely  from  snow-blindness 
during  the  day  and  had  to  remain  in  the  tent." 

"  Cape  Britannia  was  dimly  visible ;  later  in  the  day  it  was 
quite  distinct.  The  view  is  so  well  represented  in  Lieutenant 
Beaumont's  journal,  that  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  it.  Ser- 
geants Brainard,  Ralston,  and  Elison  went  along  the  coast  to  the 
south  to  find  Lieutenant  Beaumont's  cache,  or  cairn,  but  were 
unsuccessful." 

From  the  summit  of  Cape  Fulford,  which  was  visited  by 
Sergeants  Kalston,  Elison,  and  himself,  Sergeant  Brainard  says : 
"  The  east  side  of  Sherard  Osborn  Fiord,  with  its  mountains 
and  capes,  was  distinctly  outlined,  and  appeared  much  nearer 


THE  FARTHEST  NORTH.  317 

than  the  distance  given  on  the  map.  The  appearance  of  the 
ice  in  the  fiord  encouraged  us  very  much.  Its  surface  has  an 
undulating  appearance  peculiar  to  ice  which  seldom  breaks  up, 
and  is  studded  here  and  there  by  small  hummocks."  The  zeal 
and  activity  of  the  members  of  this  party  could  not  be  more 
strikingly  illustrated  than  by  their  tramp  of  twelve  miles  on 
a  resting  day,  in  such  a  country,  in  order  to  familiarize  them- 
selves with  their  surroundings. 

The  journey  of  Lieutenant  Lock  wood's  supporting  party, 
which  here  terminated,  was  an  extraordinary  one,  considering 
the  character  of  the  ice,  the  loads  drawn,  the  stormy  weather, 
and  the  temperatures  to  which  they  were  subjected.  In  his 
noted  journeys,  made  about  six  hundred  miles  farther  south  and 
over  ordinary  ice,  the  famous  sledge-traveller,  McClintock, 
averaged  only  two  and  a  quarter  miles  daily  more  than  this  party. 

The  experiences  of  McClintock,  more  varied  than  of  any 
other  Arctic  explorer,  show  the  advisability  of  sledging  with 
dogs.  In  seven  journeys,  covering  over  three  thousand  miles, 
his  men  travelled  eleven  and  one-third  miles  daily.  With  both 
men  and  dogs  he  later  averaged  twelve  and  a  half  miles  daily, 
and  with  dogs  alone  twenty-four  miles  daily.  The  comparison 
between  the  man-system,  under  an  officer  of  extraordinary 
energy — Lieutenant  Beaumont — and  the  mixed  system,  which 
I  followed  perforce,  should  also  be  convincing  in  favor  of  dogs. 
Lieutenant  Beaumont  made  his  trip  from  Discovery  Harbor 
(Fort  Conger)  to  Cape  Bryant  in  thirty-one  marches,  travelling 
via  Floeberg  Beach,  and  with  a  mean  temperature  of  —13° 
(-25°  C.),  ranging  from  14°  (-10  C.)  to  -45°  (-42.8°  C.). 
He  travelled  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  miles  to  make  his 
distance  of  one  hundred  and  thirty -four  miles. 

Lieutenant  Lock  wood's  supporting  party  travelled  from  Conger 
(Discovery  Harbor)  to  Cape  Bryant,  via  Polaris  Boat  Camp  and 


318  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Gorge  Creek,  in  eighteen  marches,  with  temperatures  ranging 
from  14.5°  (-9.7°  C.)  to  -48.8°  (-44.9°  C.),  and  a  mean 
of  —11°  (—23.9°  C.).  They  marched  about  one  hundred  and 
sixty  miles  to  pass  over  their  route  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
one  miles. 

The  difference  between  the  six  miles  made  daily  by  Lieu- 
tenant Beaumont's  men  and  nine  by  Sergeant  Brainard  and  his 
associates  resulted  from  the  contrasted  loads,  especially  the  con- 
stant weights.  It  was  the  unanimous  opinion  of  my  men  that 
they  were  worked  up  to  their  last  pound  of  strength,  and  that 
the  weight  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  per  man, 
hauled  by  Beaumont  from  Repulse  Harbor,  would  have  broken 
them  down. 

Of  the  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  hauled  by  Beau- 
mont's seven  men,  ninety-five  and  one-half  pounds  per  man 
figured  as  constant  weights,  which  they  not  only  hauled  to 
Bryant,  but  part  of  the  way  back.  The  constant  weights  of 
Sergeant  Brainard  and  six  men  were  sixty-two  and  a  half 
pounds  on  leaving  Cape  Sumner,  which  would  not  have  ex- 
ceeded seventy  pounds  per  man  if  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  with 
his  baggage,  had  joined  them.  The  total  weight  drawn  by 
each  man  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  pounds.  Conse- 
quently on  starting  Lieutenant  Beaumont's  men  hauled  forty- 
three  pounds  each  more  than  the  men  of  Lieutenant  Lockwood's 
supporting  party,  twenty-five  pounds  of  which  were  constant 
weights. 

The  abandonment  of  one  sledge  and  caching  certain  useless 
articles  reduced  the  constant  weights  of  our  men  to  forty-seven 
pounds  at  Black  Horn  Cliffs.  They  were  farther  assisted  on 
their  totals  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  with  the  dog-sledge,  on 
special  occasions  where  bad  travel  obliged  doubling  up,  which 
somewhat  reduced  their  labor. 


THE  FARTHEST   NORTH.  319 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  marched  with  dog-sledge  from  Conger 
to  Bryant  in  thirteen  journeys.  He  travelled  two  hundred  and 
ninety  miles,  although  the  distance  was  but  one  hundred  and 
twenty-one  miles,  the  remaining  travel  being  in  doubling  up 
or  in  side  journeys.  His  actual  marches  averaged  eleven  hours 
each,  during  which  he  made  twenty-two  miles  daily. 

Fourteen  to  fifteen  hours  of  daily  work  and  exposure,  in 
storm  with  driving  snow,  or  with  clear,  balmy  air,  and  zero 
temperatures,  brought  them  to  Bryant  at  that  early  day,  and 
made  success  seem  certain. 


CHAPTEK  XXIY. 

THE   FARTHEST    NORTH. CAPE    BRYANT    TO    CAPE    WASH- 
INGTON. 

JOUKNEY   OF   LIEUTENANT   LOCKWOOD   AND    SERGEANT   BEAINAED. 

1%  TAY  29th  Sergeant  Lynn  turned  back  for  Polaris  Boat 
Camp  with  the  supporting  party,  while  Lieutenant.  Lock- 
wood,  with  Brainard  and  Christiansen,  turned  his  f ace  north- 
ward over  the  frozen  sea. 

"I  selected  Sergeant  Brainard  to  accompany  Frederik  and 
myself,"  says  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  "  and  made  up  a  list  of 
seventy-five  rations,  sufficient  for  twenty-five  days'  absence 

from  Bryant,  viz. : 

Pounds. 

Pemmican  (lime-juice) 40 

Musk-meat  (frozen  in  tins) 34 

Sausage  and  English  beef 17 

Beans,  Boston  baked 19 

Potatoes,  evaporated     5 

Cranberry  sauce  (three  cans) 4^ 

Tea 2 

Chocolate 3 

Sugar 10 

Lime-juice  (frozen  in  cakes) 2f 

Hard  bread 60 

Milk li 

Alcohol  .  19 


Total 227£ 

"  The  constant  weights,  etc.,  consisted  of  1  '  A '  tent,  poles 
and  pins;  2  sleeping-bags  (one  buffalo  and  one  dog-skin),  1  cook- 


CAPE  BRYANT  TO   CAPE  WASHINGTON.  321 

ing-lamp,  1  rubber  blanket,  1  axe,  1  spade,  1  hatchet,  1  pistol, 
1  sextant,  1  sledge-runner  (extra),  1  shelter-tent,  1  small  cook- 
ing-lamp (extra),  2  pairs  of  snow-shoes,  1  catch-all  bag,  contain- 
ing ammunition,  cups,  plates,  spoons,  sounding-line  and  lead, 
brush,  record-cases,  tin  funnel,  measure  cup,  chopping-board, 
etc.;  3  clothesbags  (individual  weights  given  elsewhere),  and 
sledge  (80  pounds).  Total  constant  weights,  256  pounds. 

"  Dog  pemmican  (3  sacks)  300  pounds ;  total  amount  drawn  by 
8  dogs,  783£  pounds ;  or  an  average  for  each  dog  at  starting 
of  (about)  98  pounds. 

"  At  4.47  P.M.  I  left  with  dog-sledge,  Sergeant  Brainard,  and 
Frederik  (Eskimo),  taking  a  course  toward  Cape  May.  The 
weather  continued  delightful.  Found  the  floes  quite  hard  and 
level,  interrupted  only  by  occasional  low  detached  hummocks, 
on  which  the  drifted  snow  made  our  progress  very  satisfactory. 
When  nearly  opposite  Dragon  Point,  however,  the  snow-crust 
seemed  to  weaken,  and  the  sledge  frequently  sank  to  the  slats, 
requiring  our  united  exertions  to  move  it." 

Brainard's  field  notes  say  :  "  The  dogs,  not  being  accustomed 
to  hauling  such  heavy  weights,  sit  down  as  soon  as  the  runners 
cut  through  the  crust,  .  .  .  and  complacently  watch  us,  with 
a  puzzled  expression,  .  .  .  until  we  lift  the  sledge  bodily 
and  place  it  on  the  firm  crust." 

On  April  30th,  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  at  "  1  A.M.,  camped  op- 
posite Dragon  Point,  the  dogs  being  much  exhausted  by  such  a 
heavy  load.  The  clearest  day  I  have  yet  seen  ;  no  wind.  Tem- 
perature lower  than  usual.  4  A.M.  :  Finished  supper.  4.20  A.M.  : 
Thermometer,  1°  (—16.7°  C.) ;  barometer,  29.35.  Halts  during 
march  for  relashing,  about  thirty  minutes  in  all.  Lieutenant 
Beaumont's  sketches  and  descriptions  of  this  section  are  very 
good,  as  well  as  I  could  judge  by  the  eye." 

At  5.22  P.M.  he  again  started,  and  soon  found  "  the  dragging 
21 


322  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

very  heavy  and  fatiguing,  snow  sometimes  knee-deep,  the  sledge 
coming  to  a  stand-still  repeatedly.  On  these  occasions  the  dogs 
complacently  sit  on  their  haunches  and  observe  the  operation  of 
pulling  it  out,  which  falls  to  us.  After  dropping  half  the  load 
the  travelling  seemed  to  improve,  due,  possibly,  to  a  slight  change 
of  direction,  which  brought  us  on  a  line  with  Cape  Britannia. 
Sergeant  Brainard  quite  over  his  snow-blindness.  We  find  the 
lirne-juice  pemmican  very  unsatisfactory,  and  eat  it  only  with 
great  reluctance.  Cape  Britannia  is  very  distinct,  due,  probably, 
to  the  remarkable  refraction  of  the  atmosphere.  Beaumont 
Island  presented  the  appearance  of  one  island  on  top  of  another, 
the  first  inverted.  4.15  A.M.  :  Turned  in." 

At  4.25  P.M.,  May  1st,  they  started  with  whole  load,  but 
Lieutenant  Lockwood  soon  dropped  half  with  Braiuard,  and, 
going  on  himself,  "  stopped  at  an  old  floeberg,  and,  taking  off 
load,  sent  sledge  back  for  remainder.  Character  of  the  ice 
better,  so  that  I  have  determined  to  try  hauling  everything  at 
once.  The  floes  in  sight  very  large,  broken  at  long  intervals 
with  ranges  of  low  hummocks  ;  isolated  mounds  scattered  here 
and  there.  All  covered  with  snow.  The  floes  in  places  are 
slightly  undulating.  7.48  P.M.  :  Thermometer,  — 1°(-18.3°C.)." 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  during  that  march  gave  up  all  idea  of 
visiting  Cape  May,  as  he  found  the  roads  better  to  the  north, 
and  travelled  direct  for  Cape  Britannia.  He  camped  "  hardly 
more  than  five  miles  from  Cape  May.  The  large  floe  last  re- 
ferred to  extends  north  as  far  as  I  could  see.  Supper  consisted 
of  tea,  lime-juice  pemmican,  hard  bread,  and  a  stew  (?)  of  beans 
and  cracker-dust ;  the  allowance  of  alcohol  only  sufficient  to 
melt  the  ice  and  warm  the  water ;  the  stew  was  cold.  9.15 
A.M.  :  Turned  in." 

"  Brainard  and  I  didn't  sleep  much.  The  Eskimo  invariably 
snores  two  minutes  after  he  composes  himself  to  rest.  Took  a 


CAPE  BRYANT  TO  CAPE  WASHINGTON. 


323 


number  of  compass  bearings  of  different  points  very  carefully, 
and  was  disappointed  to  find  the  instrument  no  better  than  be- 
fore. I  had  spent  some  time  yesterday  in  trying  to  mend  it. 
There  seems  to  be  a  want  of  magnetism." 

They  started  north  at  8  P.M.,  May  2d,  but  twenty  standing  pulls 
in  as  many  minutes  obliged  them  to  drop  half  the  load.  Shortly 
after  Lieutenant  Lockwood  "  attempted  a  sketch  of  Stephenson 
Island — an  island  to  all  appearances  from  here.  Saw  wolf  and 
fox  tracks  going  north  some  distance  back.  Noticed  a  line  of 
huramocky  ice  extending  from  Beaumont  Island  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Cape  May.  Doubled  up  just  in  time,  the  travelling  since, 


Stephenson  Island  from  Cape  Britannia. 
[From  sketch  by  Lt.  Lockwood.] 

up  to  this  spot,  being  soft  and  deep,  sometimes  nearly  up  to  the 
knees.  10.45  P.M.  came  to  a  crack  in  the  ice,  which  seemed  to 
follow  the  lines  of  hnmmocky  ice  referred  to.  This  crack, 
when  first  met,  was  in  width  the  length  of  a  tent-pole,  and  full 
of  free  water  and  *  sludge '  about  two  feet,  as  I  remember,  be- 
low the  level  of  the  edge  of  the  ice.  Following  it  south  a  few 
hundred  feet,  we  found  two  or  three  cracks,  but  only  two  feet 
or  a  little  more  wide,  so  there  was  no  difficulty  in  crossing. 
This  place  was  at  the  intersection  (approximate)  of  a  line  from 
Cape  Britannia  to  Cape  Bryant  with  another  between  Cape  May 
and  Beaumont  Island.  This  being  a  good  opportunity  to  get  the 


324  THKEE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

depth,  I  sent  Frederik  back  for  Sergeant  Brainard  and  the  load 
— the  lead  and  line  not  being  with  me." 

"May  3d,  1.07  A.M.:  Dog-team  back  again.  The  dogs  al- 
ways travel  much  faster  going  back  or  forward  over  a  trail. 
Selecting  a  good  spot,  I  gave  Sergeant  Brainard  the  line  ;  it  ran 
out  its  full  length  without  touching  bottom.  I  then  attached  in 
succession  four  coils  of  seal-thong,  a  long  piece  of  rope,  and 
finally  Frederik's  whip ;  all  with  the  same  result,  no  bottom. 
Having  nothing  now  left  but  the  traces  of  the  dogs,  we  began 
drawing  the  line  back,  while  considering  if  these  should  be 
risked.  I  had  attempted  to  measure  it  exactly  by  arm-lengths 
as  it  went  down,  but  found  this  inconvenient  and  decided  to 
wait  till  we  got  it  all  out.  "We  drew  out  the  whip  and  part 
of  the  rope,  when  the  latter  suddenly  parted,  and  of  course  the 
rest  was  lost.  The  rope  was  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter,  and 
would  hardly  be  thought  the  first  part  of  the  line  to  give  way. 
The  approximate  length  of  line  below  surface  is  as  follows  :  Rope, 
including  whip,  148  feet ;  four  coils  thong,  240  feet ;  four  cod- 
lines,  each  108  feet— 432  ;  total,  820  feet.  Weight  of  lead  six 
pounds.  Thus,  besides  the  loss  of  the  line,  all  farther  attempts 
at  sounding  were  prevented." 

Of  the  tidal  crack  Sergeant  Brainard's  notes  say :  "  At  this 
point  (the  first  reached)  the  crack  opens  about  six  feet  wide, 
and  branches  a  short  distance  to  the  north  into  three  distinct 
openings,  each  of  about  the  same  width  as  the  main  one.  This 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  some  strong  current  from  the 
Greenland  shore  existed,  for  this  is  firm  ice  apparently  wrenched 
apart  by  some  strong  movement  of  the  sea." 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  writes :  "  At  2  A.M.  proceeded  en  route 
with  half  load.  In  the  course  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour  passed  a 
narrow  line  or  belt  of  low  hummocks  seemingly  parallel  to  the 
ice-crack.  After  this  was  an  immense  level  floe,  which  extended 


CAPE  BRYANT  TO  CAPE  WASHINGTON.  325 

to  the  right  and  left  and  ahead  as  far  as  I  could  see ;  it  was 
difficult  to  perceive  the  smallest  break  or  unevenuess  in  its  great 
expanse.  At  3  A.M.  met  a  little  mound  of  snow-ice,  which,  as  it 
saved  the  melting  of  snow  for  water,  I  camped  alongside  of. 
Bearings  from  this  camp  :  Beaumont  Island  east-southeast ; 
Cape  Britannia  southeast  by  south ;  Stephenson  Island  south- 
west by  south ;  Cape  May  northwest  by  west  (all  magnetic). 
At  5.30  P.M.  thermometer  19  (— 7.2°C.)."  These  bearings  were 
from  a  pocket-compass  that  Lieutenant  Lockwood  used  after 
finding  the  prismatic  compass  to  be  unserviceable. 

They  started  at  6  P.M.,  May  3d,  and  at  "8.28-8.35  P.M. 
stopped  for  rest  at  a  line  of  very  low,  hummocky  ice,  which 
sweeps  in  a  curve  to  the  northeast  on  one  hand,  and  on  the 
other  to  the  southwest  toward  Cape  May.  The  floe  we  now 
saw  before  us  was  an  unbroken  expanse  of  level  snow,  and 
seemed  to  continue  thus  and  occupy  the  whole  space  between 
Beaumont  and  Stephenson  Islands  and  Cape  Britannia,  remind- 
ing me  very  much  of  the  plains  of  the  "West ;  crust  quite  hard 
and  firm,  enabling  us  to  carry  everything  at  once.  At  9.35 
P.M.,  intersection  of  route  with  a  line  between  Beaumont  and 
Stephenson  Islands." 

After  fourteen  hours'  travel,  during  which  they  travelled 
thirty  miles  to  make  good  fourteen,  the  party  camped  within 
about  five  miles  of  Cape  Britannia. 

Sergeant  Brainard  at  this  camp  records :  "  Cape  Britannia  is 
now  within  our  grasp.  .  .  .  We  got  into  our  damp,  cheer- 
less sleeping-bag  with  lighter  hearts  and  in  a  more  amiable  frame 
of  mind  than  for  weeks.  Even  the  dusky  Greenlander  has  im- 
bibed some  of  our  spirit  (doubtless  inspired  somewhat  by  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood's  recent  promise  of  a  hundred  crowns  if  he 
reached  Cape  Britannia),  and,  sitting  up  in  his  dog-skin  bag,  takes 
mental  note  of  everything  which  passes,  with  a  delighted  grin 


326  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

overspreading  his  shining,  good-natured  countenance.  .  .  . 
Stephenson  Island  is  a  very  high  rocky  mass,  oblong  in  shape, 
with  nearly  vertical  cliffs,  notched  here  and  there  by  deep  ravines, 
from  two  of  which  pass  small  glaciers,  one  nearly  discharging. 
The  remainder  of  the  coast  to  Britannia  is  broken  arid  moun- 
tainous, with  two  or  three  glaciers." 

"  The  dogs  during  our  sleep  got  at  the  pemmican,  which  was 
buried  as  usual  under  the  sledge,  and  ate  their  allowance  for 
two  and  a  half  days."  * 

An  hour  and  a  half  of  good  travel,  on  May  5th,  brought  them 
to  land  before  untrodden  by  man,  and  thenceforward  every- 
thing was  doubly  new. 

"  At  7.53  P.M.  :  Reached  Cape  Britannia ;  the  line  of  demarca- 
tion between  the  floe  and  the  shore- ice  was  very  slight,  and  only 
indicated  by  one  or  more  indistinct  cracks.  After  pitching  the 
tent  on  the  ice-foot,  we  proceeded  to  build  a  cairn  about  seven 
feet  high,  twenty  or  thirty  yards  above,  on  the  side  of  a  little 
ravine  just  below  the  cliff.  In  it  I  deposited  a  record  of  my 
journey,  five  days'  rations,  three  days'  dog-food,  the  extra  sledge- 
runner,  shelter-tent,  little  lamp,  and  the  snow-shoes.  The  last 
three  articles  were  brought  along  in  case  the  snow  east  of  Cape 
Bryant  was  too  deep  to  allow  the  dog-sledge  to  travel.  I  now 
judged  we  could  get  along  without  them.  After  this  I  took  an 
observation  for  latitude.  Frederik  came  in  with  a  ptarmigan  ; 
it  had  commenced  to  change  its  plumage  ;  some  of  the  feathers 
were  black." 

"May  5th,  1  A.M.  :  Thermometer,  2°  (— 16°.7  C.) ;  barometer, 
29.52  ;  calm.  Sergeant  Brainard  and  I  started  for  the  top  of 
the  cape  or  mountain.  We  followed  the  water-course  referred 
to  ;  the  ascent  was  quite  steep,  with  several  intermediate  crests  or 

*  All  quoted  passages  are  from  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  field  journal,  unless 
otherwise  stated. 


CAPE   BRYANT  TO   CAPE  WASHINGTON.  327 

ridges,  each  seeming  from  below  to  be  the  top.  At  2.35  A.M. 
reached  the  summit.  Thermometer,  14£°  (— 9°.7  C.);  barom- 
eter, 27.32 ;  windy.  We  were  apparently  on  an  island  ;  its  most 
northern  limit  ended  in  a  bold  headland,  Cape  Frederick,  a  half 
dozen  miles  distant.  Away  to  the  northeast,  or  a  little  south 
of  it,  was  a  bold  headland — some  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  off — 
the  termination  of  a  promontory  or  island  stretching  to  the 
north.  Between  it  and  me  were  the  projecting  capes  of  three 
similar  bodies  of  land,  farther  to  the  right — all  separated  by 
great  fiords  (Nordenskjold  and  Chipp  Inlets)  stretching  to  the 
south,  and  overlapping  one  another,  so  that  little  could  be  seen 


Beaumont  Island  from  Cape  Britannia. 
[From  sketch  by  Lt.  Lockwood.] 

to  the  south  of  them  but  a  confused  mass  of  snow-covered 
peaks.  Glancing  around  toward  the  north  and  west,  the  eye 
rested  on  nothing  but  the  ice-pack  till  Beaumont  Island  was 
reached  ;  after  that  the  mountains  near  Cape  Bryant. 

Stephenson  Island  is  evidently  an  island  (previously  doubtful), 
for  the  opening  of  a  fiord  (Xares)  that  separates  it  from  Cape 
May  can  be  seen,  and  on  its  east  is  an  immense  fiord  (Victoria) 
running  to  the  south.  The  two  fiords  are  to  appearances 
connected ;  no  land  visible  at  the  head  of  the  large  one.  To 
the  east  the  coast  trends  to  the  southeast,  forming  with  the 
south  side  of  Britannia  coast  an  immense  funnel,  ending  in  a 


328  THKEE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

fiord.  All  to  the  south  is  an  indistinct  mass  of  snow-covered 
mountains.  We  built  a  cairn  on  the  summit  (one  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  sea)  and  deposited  a 
record." 

Brainard  says :  "  Recent  traces  of  hares,  foxes,  lemmings,  and 
older  traces  of  musk-oxen  discovered.  .  .  .  The  abrupt,  rugged 
nature  of  the  cliffs  to  the  westward  would  not  admit  of  their 
being  scaled,  so  we  followed  a  deep,  narrow  ravine  to  the  south- 
ward. ...  In  the  interior  a  succession  of  lofty  mountain 
peaks  were  visible,  some  of  great  elevation.  They  were  not 
arranged  in  a  chain,  but  formed  an  irregular,  ill-defined  mass. 
Deep  snow  covered  their  summits,  and  an  occasional  glacier  of 
moderate  dimensions  could  be  seen  struggling  toward  the  sea 
from  out  of  the  chaotic  mass  of  snow-capped  mountains." 

The  twentieth  march,  on  May  5th,  enabled  them  to  round 
Cape  Frederick  and  camp  opposite  ISTordenskjold  Inlet.  Travel 
was  first  along  an  excellent  ice-foot,  but  heavy  ice,  crowded 
against  the  high,  abrupt  cliffs,  soon  drove  them  to  the  main  floe. 
During  their  march  a  deep,  grinding  noise  indicated  movement 
of  the  floe-ice,  the  Eskimo  being  positive  such  was  the  case. 
Lieutenant  Lockwood  going  seaward  to  investigate,  "  saw  the 
tide-crack,  evidently  a  continuation  of  the  one  crossed  west  of 
Britannia."  Beyond  Cape  Frederick  they  struck  "  last  year's 
ice ;  it  continued  some  distance  and  reached  to  the  north  sev- 
eral hundred  yards  from  shore.  From  Cape  Frederick  the  tide- 
crack  continued  toward  Cape  Emory,  curving  to  the  right  en 
route.  It  was  plainly  marked  by  a  line  of  heaped-up,  hum- 
mocky  ice,  and  by  being  the  line  separating  the  smooth  and 
generally  level  floes  inside  from  the  rough  pack  without. 
All  inside  the  ice-crack  seems  one  unbroken  floe, 
smooth  and  level,  assuming  an  undulating  surface  in  most  places 
near  the  ice-crack,  caused  "by  ranges  of  hummocky  ice  covered 


CAPE  BKYANT  TO   CAPE  WASHINGTON.  329 

with  snow-drifts."  Lieutenant  Lockwood  got  as  the  result  of 
his  latitude  observations  82°  51'  N. 

Near  this  camp  Brainard  says  :  "  An  exclamation  from  Chris- 
tiansen caused  us  to  look  around  and  halt  the  sledge.  "We  were 
astonished  to  observe  unmistakable  signs  of  open  water — the 
bright  rays  of  the  sun  playing  over  the  rippling  surface  of  an 
open  pool.  .  .  .  At  the  point  we  examined,  it  was  about  a 
hundred  yards  wide,  and  looked  as  if  it  had  been  kept  open 
during  the  winter,  as  none  of  the  debris  had  attained  any  con- 
siderable thickness.  Christiansen  visited  the  pool  later  for  seal, 
but  saw  no  signs  of  any.  Fresh  fox  and  hare  tracks  seen  by 
me  near  Cape  Frederick.  After  camping,  the  dogs  were  run- 
ning about  like  ravenous  wolves,  gnawing  at  everything,  and 
badly  chewed  and  splintered  the  thermometer-box  before  it 
could  be  secured.  The  ptarmigan  lately  shot  was  placed  on 
the  ridge-pole  for  safety.  A  hasty  rush  of  feet,  and  a  heavy 
body  striking  violently  against  the  tent,  caused  us  to  rush  out  to 
investigate  this  commotion.  The  ptarmigan  was  missing.  A 
few  feathers  in  his  bloody  jaws  marked  the  king-dog,  Biten- 
benk,  as  the  thief,  notwithstanding  his  bland  look  of  innocence." 
Brainard's  moccasins  here  gave  out,  after  thirty-three  days' 
steady  wear. 

Their  twenty-first  march  carried  the  party  to  Cape  Bene"t,  the 
western  entrance  of  Mascart  Inlet,  which  was  reached  11.33  P.M., 
May  6th,  after  .over  ten  hours'  travel,  which  exhausted  both 
men  and  dogs.  During  the  march  the  tidal  crack  was  fre- 
quently seen  and  varied  from  one  to  a  hundred  yards  in  width, 
being  "  covered  with  new  ice,  except  when  broken  by  pools  or 
lanes."  Markham  Island  was  apparently  separated  from  the 
main-land  to  the  northeast  by  a  narrow,  deep  fiord.  Brainard 
noticed  three  small  glaciers  on  the  shores  of  Chipp  and  Korden- 
skjold  Inlets  which  nearly  reached  the  sea. 


330 


THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


The  following  notes  of  Sergeant  Brainard  are  of  interest  in 
connection  with  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  statement,  that  no  dis- 
tinctly palseocrystic  ice  was  seen  to  the  northward  or  eastward 
of  Cape  May : 

"  The  ice  met  with  on  this  coast  appears  to  be  of  an  entirely 
different  character  from  the  large  floes  and  floebergs  so  familiar 
to  the  traveller  on  the  Grinnell  Land  coast.  The  hummocks 
are  all  of  small  size,  and  no  large  floes  or  bergs  are  met  with. 
Huge  masses  of  ice  form  a  wall  which  rises  along  the  shore  at 


Looking  into  Chipp  Inlet. 
[From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockicood.} 

all  prominent  headlands.  It  is  most  likely  formed  from  large 
quantities  of  rubble-ice  being  forced  up  by  the  tremendous 
pressure  of  the  polar  pack,  and  subsequently  cemented  by  the 
summer  sun  into  a  compact  mass  resembling  one  immense 
block  of  ice." 

This  camp  proved  prolific  in  animal  life,  thus  indicating  a 
luxuriant  vegetation  near.  Two  ptarmigan  were  flying  around, 
a  hare  was  captured,  and  traces  of  foxes  and  lemmings  observed. 


CAPE  BRYANT  TO  CAPE  WASHINGTON.       331 

Tracks  of  a  passing  bear,  going  to  the  northeast,  were  seen  on 
the  ice-foot,  and  "  abundant  traces  of  musk-oxen  were  discov- 
ered, proving  that  these  animals  frequent  this  place  in  consider- 
able numbers,  though  the  indications  were  not  of  recent  date." 

"  The  only  excitement  and  recreation,"  says  Sergeant  Brain- 
ard,  "  experienced  since  leaving  Bryant  occurred  this  morning 
shortly  after  arriving  in  camp.  It  happened  in  this  way :  While 
cutting  ice  for  cooking  purposes,  I  saw  a  hare  on  the  slope  just 
above  me,  and  fired  twice  without  effect.  Frederik,  evidently 
very  much  disgusted  at  my  lack  of  marksmanship,  took  the  gun 
and  wounded  him  twice,  and  immediately  followed  up  his  ad- 
vantage with  a  shower  of  stones  and  Eskimo  epithets.  After 
an  exciting  chase  of  over  half  an  hour  along  the  rocky  slope,  in 
which  the  lieutenant  and  myself  joined,  the  hare  was  captured." 

Before  starting  that  evening  three  days'  rations  were  cached. 

The  twenty-second  march  carried  them,  May  7th,  to  Low 
Point,  83°  07'  N".,  which  was  of  equal  latitude  with  the  most 
northerly  land  ever  before  reached — Cape  Columbia,  Grinnell 
Land,  by  Lieutenant  Aldrich,  R.N.,  1876.  Soft,  deep  snow, 
sometimes  to  their  thighs,  made  it  the  worst  and  most  exhaust- 
ing travelling  since  leaving  Brevoort  Peninsula.  Distant  Cape 
was  passed,  "  a  grand  headland  of  dark-looking  rocks  forming 
a  huge  cliff,"  and  far  in  advance  appeared  Cape  Ramsay,  which 
at  first  was  thought  to  be  an  island,  but  the  thick  snow  which 
had  fallen  during  the  whole  march  rendered  it  uncertain. 
The  only  sign  of  life  was  a  snow-bunting,  the  first  seen,  al- 
though they  had  been  heard  before.  The  tidal  crack  was  open 
along  their  route  the  whole  day.  Lieutenant  Lockwood  says : 
"  Brainard  and  I  very  tired ;  we  both  remarked  a  frequent  feel- 
ing of  lassitude  and  weakness  of  late." 

A  fine  march  (the  twenty-third),  during  which  the  dogs 
trotted  at  times,  brought  them,  in  seventeen  miles'  travel,  to 


332  THREE   YEARS   OF   AECTIC   SERVICE. 

Pocket  Bay,  east  of  Cape  Mohn,  83°  10'  K  The  fine  travelling 
encouraged  the  travellers,  notwithstanding  the  high  wind  and 
drifting  snow.  The  land,  which  had  been  running  due  east, 
now  trended  decidedly  to  the  north,  the  much  desired  direction. 
A  lemming  was  caught  during  the  march  in  Jewell  Inlet,  about 
83°  9'  K 

"  At  this  camp,"  says  Sergeant  Brainard,  "  the  thieving  pro- 
pensities of  our  canine  friends  were  developed  to  an  unusual 
degree.  While  we  were  sleeping  they  burst  off  the  strings, 
entered  the  tent,  and  stole  our  provision-bag  and  hare.  They 
were  so  elated  over  the  success  of  their  raid  that  they  forgot  their 
caution,  and  their  retreat  was  not  effected  without  considerable 
noise,  which  awoke  us.  Everything  was  recovered,  except  a  quar- 
ter of  the  hare,  which  Bitenbenk  contended  was  his  lawful  share 
of  the  game.  His  control  as  king-dog  was  admirable,  for  the  rest 
of  the  half -starved  pack  watched  him  quietly  as  he  ate  the  hare." 

On  May  10th  the  explorers  crossed  De  Long  Fiord,  construct- 
ing, in  passing,  small  cairns  on  the  northern  and  southern  points. 
They  were  able  to  travel  only  by  the  wind,  which  was  directly 
at  their  backs,  part  of  the  time,  as  the  coast  was  hidden  by  a 
violent  snow  storm.  The  coast  from  Cape  Hoffmeyer  north  was 
a  low,  sloping  shore,  giving  place  in  a  short  mile  inland  to  a 
"  grand  line  of  cliffs." 

After  nine  and  a  half  hours'  march  in  high,  cold  winds  and 
drifting  snow,  during  which  they  travelled  twenty-two  miles, 
the  party  camped  on  Mary  Murray  Island,  83°  19'  N.,42°  21'  W. 

This  island,  shaped  like  a  shoe,  proved  to  be  "a  narrow,  rocky 
ridge  projecting  a  few  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ice, 
its  top  inaccessible  except  in  a  few  places."  From  it  three  capes, 
the  farthest  probably  Cape  Washington,  could  be  seen. 

The  violence  of  the  gale  delayed  them  at  this  camp  sixty-three 
and  a  half  hours.  Latitude  and  time  observations  were  obtained. 


CAPE  BBYANT  TO  CAPE  WASHINGTON.       333 

Animal  life  existed,  as  several  snow-buntings  flew  around,  hare 
tracks  were  noticed,  and  an  unfortunate  lemming  was  captured 
by  the  dogs.  It  was  difficult  to  say  whether  the  party  were  the 
most  disturbed  through  mental  anxiety  and  disappointment  as 
to  farther  advance  or  by  physical  suffering  from  cold  and  ex- 
posure. The  high  wind,  with  the  very  low  mean  temperature 
of  8°  (—13.3  C.),  reduced  their  feet  "to  a  condition,"  says  Ser- 
geant Brainard,  "  not  unlike  a  cake  of  ice.  We  frequently 
changed  our  foot-gear,  and  rubbed  our  feet  briskly  with  the 
warm  hand,  but  to  no  purpose."  This  unprecedented  experi- 
ence was  attributed  to  camping  on  bare  ice,  but  it  more  prob- 
ably resulted  from  insufficient  food,  as  they  ate  only  at  intervals 
of  fifteen,  twenty-four,  and  nineteen  hours,  so  as  to  enable  them 
to  travel  yet  farther. 

Their  twenty -fifth  and  last  march  is  thus  described  by  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood : 

"May  13th,  12.30  A.M.:  Thermometer,  11°  (-11.7°  C.) ; 
barometer,  29.30.  Northwest  wind  and  snow,  but  the  cape 
ahead  could  be  seen,  and  anything  is  preferable  to  cold  feet, 
which  we  have  endured  for  sixty -two  hours." 

"  Started  at  1.45  A.M.  after  building  a  small  cairn  near-by.  The 
north  cape  of  "Wild  Fiord  disappeared  from  view  shortly  after 
starting,  but  the  travelling  was  very  good  near  shore  over  '  blue 
top  floe,'  and  at  3.45  A.M.  the  cape  was  reached.  Here,  and 
along  the  line  of  cliffs  beyond  which  it  terminates,  immense 
masses  of  bergs  and  hummocks  were  pressed  so  closely  to  the 
foot  of  the  cliffs  that  it  was  necessary  to  get  outside  on  the  floe. 
A  tortuous  way  was  found  to  the  top  of  this  ice-wall,  and  the 
sledge  then  lowered,  by  means  of  the  traces,  some  fifteen  feet  or 
more.  For  some  distance  we  worked  our  way  slowly  through  a 
mass  of  rubble-ice,  with  the  constant  use  of  the  axe,  and  crossed 
two  or  three  small  lanes  of  water;  and  beyond  travelled  for  a 


334  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

few  hundred  yards  on  a  '  clear '  floe  of  last  year's  ice,  when,  at 
5.30-6.15  A.M.,  we  were  stopped  by  another  lead  or  lane  of  water. 
The  sun  being  discernible,  I  took  an  observation,  and  at  the 
same  time  sent  Frederik  to  find  a  crossing.  (This  crossing,  says 
Sergeant  Brainard,  was  dangerous,  owing  to  thin  and  rotten  ice.) 
One  being  found,  we  continued  over  a  floe  of  last  year's  ice  at 
quite  a  rapid  gait  on  a  line  generally  parallel  to  the  cliffs. 
Presently  the  weather  clearing,  a  large,  wide  inlet  (Weyprecht 
Inlet),  with  the  cliffs  and  mountains  on  its  farther  side,  opened 
up  to  view,  forming  a  grand  panorama,  the  most  remarkable 
yet  observed.  To  the  right  oblique  the  line  of  cliffs  ended  in  a 
cape,  from  which  the  coast  turned  abruptly  to  the  south  and 
then  ran  in  a  curve  toward  the  southeast,  forming  the  western 
shore  of  the  inlet.  Directly  ahead  was  a  pyramid-shaped  island 
(Lockwood  Island)  of  considerable  altitude,  which  seemed  to 
touch  the  line  of  cliffs  back  of  it,  which  ran  almost  north  and 
south,  ending  in  a  cape  (Cape  Kane)  to  the  northeast  of  our 
position,  and  on  the  other  hand  gradually  curving  back  to  the 
southeast  and  forming  the  eastern  side  of  the  inlet.  A  little  to 
the  right  of  the  island  referred  to  is  another  (Brainard  Island), 
apparently  of  a  cone  shape.  The  land  to  their  rear  towered 
up  to  an  enormous  height,  and  formed  a  mountain  certainly  not 
less  than  four  thousand  feet  in  height,  completely  dwarfing  the 
islands  and  cliffs  beneath.  The  tide-crack,  which  we  were  now 
on  the  outside  of,  ran  in  a  great  curve  between  the  two  capes, 
at  the  extremities  of  the  inlet,  and  was  marked  by  a  wall  of 
ice-hummocks.  Inside  was  a  level  surface  of  snow,  covering  a 
floe  which  extended  from  shore  to  shore,  and  outside  alternate 
masses  of  rubble  and  smooth  floes  of  last  year's  ice." 

Ten  hours'  work  carried  them  only  sixteen  miles,  and,  worn 
out  by  travel  through  deep  snow,  they  made  their  farthest  camp  at 
the  north  end  of  Lockwood  Island,  which,  by  circum-meridian  and 


CAPE  BRYANT  TO  CAPE  WASHINGTON.       335 

t 

subpolar  observations  reduced  by  Gauss'  method,  was  determined 
to  be  in  83°  23.8'  N.,  the  highest  latitude  ever  attained  by  man. 

Of  this  event  Sergeant  Brainard's  field  notes  say :  "  We  have 
reached  a  higher  latitude  than  ever  before  reached  by  mortal 
man,  and  on  a  land  farther  north  than  was  supposed  by  many  to 
exist.  We  unfurled  the  glorious  Stars  and  Stripes  to  the  exhilar- 
ating northern  breezes  with  an  exultation  impossible  to  describe." 

For  three  centuries  England  had  held  the  honors  of  the 
farthest  north.  The  latitude  of  Hudson,  80°  23',  in  1607,  gave 
way  to  Phipps,  who  reached  80°  48'  N.  in  1773.  Scoresby,  the 
elder,  in  1806,  reached  81°  12'  42"  ~N. ;  and,  twenty-one  years 
later,  came  Parry's  memorable  journey,  during  which  he  reached 
82°  4:5'.  These  latitudes  were  all  attained  in  the  Greenland 
Sea.  Inglefield  opened  to  the  world  the  Smith  Sound  route, 
and  in  1871  Meyer  reached  82°  09',  the  highest  on  land,  and 
Payer,  a  year  later,  almost  equalled  Meyer  by  his  sledge-journey 
to  Cape  Fligely  (82°  07'),  Franz  Josef  Land.  In  1876  Aldrich 
surpassed  Parry's  famous  latitude,  and  reached  Cape  Columbia, 
83°  07'  "N.,  only  to  be  surpassed  on  sea,  a  few  weeks  later,  by 
Markham,  83°  20'  26"  K.,  during  that  journey  over  the  Great 
Frozen  Sea  in  which  such  energy,  persistency,  and  courage 
were  exhibited  by  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Royal  Navy. 

Now  Lockwood,  profiting  by  the  labors  and  experiences  of 
his  "  kin  across  the  sea,"  surpassed  their  efforts  of  three  cen- 
turies by  land  and  ocean.  And  with  Lockwood's  name  should  be 
associated  that  of  his  inseparable  sledge-companion,  Brainard, 
without  whose  efficient  aid  and  restless  energy,  as  Lockwood 
said,  the  work  could  not  have  been  accomplished. 

So,  with  proper  pride,  they  looked  that  day  from  their  vantage- 
ground  of  the  farthest  north  (Lockwood  Island)  to  the  desolate 
cape  which,  until  surpassed  in  coming  ages,  may  well  bear  the 
grand  name  of  Washington. 


Victoria  Inlet  from  Cape  Britannia,  Nares  Land  to  the  left. 
[From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.^ 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

LOCKWOOD    ISLAND    AND    RETURN. 

his  plans,  at  Lockwood  Island,  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
says :  "  The  rations  being  almost  exhausted,  I  decided  to 
make  this  cape  my  farthest,  and  to  devote  the  little  time  we 
could  stay  to  determining  accurately  my  position,  if  the  weather 
would  allow,  which  seemed  doubtful.  .  .  .  We  built  a  large, 
conspicuous  cairn,  about  six  feet  high  and  the  same  in  width  at 
the  base,  on  the  lower  of  two  benches.  It  is  about  thirty  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  ice-foot,  and  about  the  same  number  of 
yards  distant  from  it,  and  just  this  side  of  a  picturesque  mass  of 
rocks  which  crowns  the  cliffs.  In  the  cairn  I  afterward  depos- 
ited a  record  of  my  journey  to  date,  and  also  the  thermometer 
(minimum  registering).  I  regret  that  the  instrument  only  reads 
to  — 65°  — 53°.9.  C.,  it  was  set  at  -f  14°  -10°  C.  After  repitch- 
ing  the  tent  Sergeant  Brainard  and  I  returned  to  the  cairn,  and 
collected  in  that  vicinity  specimens  of  the  rocks  and  vegetation 
of  the  country,  the  sergeant  making  almost  all  the  collection." 
"  We  ascended  without  difficulty  to  a  small  fringe  of  rocks, 
which  seemed  from  below  to  form  the  top,  but  found  it  only  a 


LOCKWOOD   ISLAND   AND   RETURN.  337 

kind  of  terrace  of  the  main  elevation  which  lay  before  us.  The 
ascent,  at  first  very  gradual,  became  steeper  as  we  went  up,  but 
we  had  no  difficulty,  as  for  some  distance  below  the  summit  the 
eurface  is  covered  with  small  stones,  as  uniform  in  size,  position, 
etc.,  as  those  of  a  macadamized  road.  Reached  the  top  at  3.45 
P.M.  and  unfurled  the  American  flag  (Mrs.  Greely's)  to  the 
breeze  in  latitude  83°  24'  K ;  longitude  40°  46'  W. 

"  The  summit  is  a  small  plateau,  narrow,  but  extending  back 
to  the  south  to  broken,  snow-covered  heights.  It  commanded  a 
very  extended  view  in  every  direction.  The  barometer,  being 
out  of  order,  was  not  brought  along,  so  I  did  not  get  the  altitude. 

"  To  the  northeast  (about)  projected  a  rocky  headland  (Cape 
Kane)  to  the  north,  and  at  its  foot  I  could  perceive  another  low 
shore  projecting  out  and  forming  a  cape  some  distance  beyond, 
Cape  Washington,  doubtless  separated  from  the  first  by  a  fiord 
(Hunt  Fiord),  as  the  first  was  from  the  promontory  on  which 
we  stood.*  The  fiord  just  to  the  east  of  Conger  Inlet  extended 
south  till  shut  out  by  the  mountains  south  of  us,  but  it  presented 
every  appearance  of  connecting  in  that  direction  with  the  fiord 
last  crossed  (Weyprecht).  The  horizon  beyond,  on  the  land 
side,  was  concealed  by  numberless  snow-covered  mountains,  one 
profile  overlapping  another,  and  all  so  merged  together,  on  ac- 
count of  their  universal  covering  of  snow,  that  it  was  impossible 
to  detect  the  topography  of  the  region.  To  the  north  lay  an 
unbroken  expanse  of  ice,  interrupted  only  by  the  horizon. 
Could  see  no  land  anywhere  between  the  two  extreme  capes, 
Washington  and  Alexander  Ramsay,  referred  to,  though  I  looked 
long  and  carefully,  as  did  Sergeant  Brainard.  Delayed  on  top 

*On  map  facing  page  325,  the  sketch  of  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  entitled 
"  Next  Point  beyond  Farthest "  shows  Cape  Washington  to  the  left  with  Cape 
Kane  in  foreground:  "Farthest  from  the  West,"  discloses  Lockwood  and 
Brainard  Islands  against  a  high  background,  the  west  shore  of  Conger  Inlet. 


338 


THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


twenty  minutes ;  left  a  short  record  in  a  small  tin  box  under  a 
few  small  stones  (there  were  no  large  ones)." 

Sergeant  Brainard's  field  notes  contain :  "  Several  snow- 
buntings  seen  flying  around  the  tent.  The  geological  and  botan- 
ical specimens  were  limited  in  number — the  former  owing  to 
their  weight,  and  the  latter  owing  to  scarcity  of  vegetation  and 
trouble  in  securing  it.  Numerous  traces  of  foxes,  lemmings, 
hare,  and  ptarmigan  at  this  point. 

"  The  lately  fallen  snow  has  entirely  disappeared,  except  oc- 


Cape  Alexander  Ramsay. 
[From  sketch  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.] 

casional  drifts  in  ravines,  leaving  only  the  bare  rocks  and  scanty 
stunted  vegetation,  which  render  the  aspect  a  dreary  and 
desolate  one.  The  peculiar  formation  of  the  country,  as  well  as 
the  rocks,  etc.,  presents  certain  characteristics,  which  give  rise  to 
the  conjecture  that  in  remote  ages  volcanic  action  was  not  un- 
known to  these  regions.  To  extend  our  rations  sixteen  hours 
between  meals  is  at  present  our  established  rule. 

"  We  now  ascended  the  summit  of  the  cape  (Lockwood  Island), 


LOCKWOOD   ISLAND   AND   RETURN.  339 

which  was  from  two  thousand  six  hundred  to  three  thousand  feet 
elevation  above  the  sea,  and  displayed  our  flags.  About  eight 
miles  to  the  northeast  a  point  of  land  (Cape  Kane)  is  visible, 
similar  to  the  one  on  which  we  are  now  standing,  with  an  inter- 
vening fiord  (Conger)  which  probably  communicates  with  the 
one  to  the  westward,  making  this  an  island.  Another  point 
(Cape  "Washington),  about  fifteen  miles  away,  projects  farther 
to  the  north  than  the  intermediate  one.  In  the  distance,  look- 
ing past  these  points,  is  a  low  blue  line  stretching  away  to  the 
northward.  Owing  to  haze  in  that  direction  it  could  not  with 
safety  be  pronounced  land,  although  at  first  it  gave  one  that  im- 
pression. The  interior  was  a  confused  mass  of  snow-capped 
peaks,  and  the  country  much  broken  by  entering  fiords.  Toward 
the  North  the  Polar  Ocean,  a  vast  expanse  of  snow  and  broken 
ice,  lay  before  us.  For  sixty  miles  our  vision  extended  unin- 
terruptedly, and  within  it  no  signs  of  land  appeared.  The  ice 
appeared  to  be  rubble,  the  absence  of  the  large  palseocrystic  floes 
being  remarked  on." 

"  As  I  awoke,"  says  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  "  a  small  piece  of 
pemmican  (our  only  remaining  dog-food)  was  slowly  but  surely 
moving  out  of  the  tent.  The  phenomenon  astonished  me,  and, 
rubbing  my  eyes,  I  looked  more  carefully,  and  saw  Bitenbenk's 
head  without  his  body,  and  found  that  his  teeth,  fixed  in  one 
comer  of  the  sack,  were  the  motive  power.  His  eyes  were 
fixed  steadily  on  me,  but  head,  eyes,  and  teeth  vanished  as  I 
looked.  He  had  burrowed  a  hole  through  the  snow  and  had  in- 
serted his  head  just  far  enough  into  the  tent  to  lay  hold  of  a 
corner  of  the  sack.  The  whole  pack  are  ravenous,  and  eat 
anything  and  everything,  which  means  substantially  nothing  in 
this  case." 

On  the  evening  of  May  16th,  Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  party 
left  for  Conger,  and  in  nine  marches  reached  Cape  Bryant. 


340 


THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


Apart  from  snow-blindness  and  bad  travelling,  the  following 
are  the  most  important  incidents:  Records  were  deposited  at 
Mary  Murray  Island,  Capes  Hoffmeyer,  Mohn,  Neumayer,  and 
Britannia.  At  the  first  cape  snow-buntings  and  fox-tracks  were 
numerous.  Weyprecht  and  De  Long  Fiords  were  "  of  immense 
extent  and  have  many  lateral  branches.  The  head  of  the  last 
could  not  be  seen ;  a  long  way  up  is  an  island." 

At  Low  Point,  83°  07'  ]ST.,  Lieutenant  Lockwood  stopped  "to 
observe  a  glacier  some  distance  inland  to  the  eastward.  This 
(Buys  Ballot)  glacier  had  all  the  appearance  of  a  large  mound- 
shaped  hill  covered  with  snow,  with  a  continous  wall  of  green 


Elison  Island. 
[From  a  sketcA  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.] 


ice  all  along  the  side  toward  the  sea.    The  wall  must  have  been 
of  considerable  height." 

Sergeant  Brainard  says  of  it :  "A  glacier  with  smooth 
rounded  surface,  not  unlike  an  inverted  saucer  in  shape,  and 
with  a  nearly  vertical  face  two  hundred  feet  high.  We  passed 
it  in  a  snow-storm,  going  northward.  Temperature  low,  but  a 
cached  thermometer  and  broken  barometer  have  simplified  our 
meteorological  observations."  At  Cape  Benet  two  ptarmigan 
flew  by,  and  many  tracks  of  foxes  and  hares  were  observed. 
Stopped  opposite  Elison  Island  and  made  a  sketch  of  it.  Nor- 


LOCKWOOD   ISLAND   AND   RETURN.  341 

denskjold  Inlet  "  runs  a  long  distance  inward,  as  straight  as  a 
canal — no  land  visible  at  its  head." 

Brainard  says :  "  Lieutenant  Lockwood  intended  going  around 
Britannia  to  the  eastward,  but  short  provisions  and  deep  snow 
in  that  direction  prevented."  The  extra  runner  and  small 
cooking-lamp  were  left  at  Cape  Britannia  for  "next  year."  At 
that  point  old  traces  of  musk-oxen  were  seen,  and  geological 
and  botanical  specimens  obtained.  Snow-shoes  were  put  on  on 
leaving  that  camp,  and  Lieutenant  Lockwood  says :  "  Regrets 
at  leaving  them  behind  haunted  me  every  day  while  travelling 
north.  Notwithstanding  it  was  my  first  attempt,  the  relief 
was  wonderful.  We  wore  them  almost  continuously  afterward, 
and  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping  ahead  of  the  dogs  to  encourage 
them."  Brainard  also  says :  "  Snow-shoes  found  to  be  very 
advantageous.  Unfortunately  we  have  only  two  pairs  of  them. 
Christiansen  frequently  breaks  through  the  crust  to  his  hips 
and  is  dragged  out  by  upstanders  and  dogs.  .  .  .  Used 
surface  ice  (fifteen  miles  northeast  of  Cape  May)  for  cooking 
purposes,  it  being  entirely  free  from  saline  matter.  Owing  to 
scarcity  of  fuel  we  gnaw  our  frozen  cakes  of  lime-juice  when 
thirsty.  Crossed  tide-crack  to-day:  it  is  now  frozen  so  thick 
it  cannot  be  broken  with  a  tent-pole.  Saw  a  remarkable  par- 
helion, five  bright  mock  suns  with  prismatic  colors,  and  a  purple 
bar  uniting  four  of  them."  North  of  St.  George's  Fiord  many 
tracks  of  foxes  going  both  north  and  south  were  met  with. 

Yictoria  Inlet,  sketched  from  Britannia,  was  seen,  in  passing, 
to  be  a  broad  deep  fiord,  with  no  visible  head,  which  presented  a 
magnificent  aspect,  with  the  high  cliffs  of  Nares  Land  to  the 
east. 

The  last  camp  before  reaching  Cape  Bryant,  Brainard's 
notes  say :  "  In  their  mad  rush  to  secure  their  breakfast  the  dogs 
nearly  upset  the  tent.  Their  wolfish  propensities  were  aroused, 


342  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

and  neither  blows  nor  Eskimo  imprecations  were  of  avail  until 
food  was  thrown  them." 

At  Cape  Bryant  Lieutenant  Lockwood  attempted  to  obtain 
tidal  readings  in  a  crack  one-quarter  of  a  mile  from  shore,  in 
water  from  one  hundred  and  three  to  one  hundred  and  fourteen 
feet  deep,  but  finally  abandoned  the  attempt  as  fruitless.  Ser- 
geant Brainard's  journal  says  :  "  Crustaceans  were  obtained  from 
the  bottom,  adhering  to  the  stone.  The  rock  when  drawn  to  the 
surface  did  not  appear  to  have  been  in  contact  with  gravel  or 
mud.  The  strong  movement  of  the  line  to  the  eastward  would 
seem  to  indicate  a  current  in  that  direction.  Our  dogs  are 
evidently  preparing  for  war.  They  tore  open  the  ammunition- 
bag,  bit  several  metaDic  shot-gun  cartridges  through  and  spoiled 
a  dozen.  I  killed  two  snow-buntings  for  specimens." 

At  Cape  Bryant  Lieutenant  Lockwood  cached  for  "next  year's 
work :  "  Pemmican,  98  Ibs. ;  bacon,  7  Ibs.  ;  hard  bread,  47  Ibs. ; 
alcohol,  18£  Ibs. ;  dried  beans,  18^-  Ibs.  ;  chocolate,  4  Ibs. ;  tea. 
If  Ibs. ;  stearine,  about  15  Ibs. ;  snow-knife,  medicines,  and 
fifteen  shot-gun  cartridges. 

The  distance  from  Cape  Bryant  to  Polaris  Boat  Camp  was 
passed  over  in  six  marches.  Sergeant  Brainard  discovered 
Lieutenant  Beaumont's  cache  at  Bryant.  The  pemmican,  spirits 
of  wine,  and  tent  were  missing,  probably  covered  with  snow ; 
but  an  Enfield  rifle,  cartridges,  and  a  few  articles  of  under- 
wear and  sledging-gear  were  found.  Near  it  Lieutenant  Lock- 
wood  shot  a  ptarmigan  "on  a  floeberg,  quite  remarkable  for 
its  size  and  the  regularity  of  its  shape.  It  was  thirty  feet  high 
by  fifty  long  and  broad,  square  in  form,  with  undulating  sur- 
face to  its  snow-covered  top.  Salt  icicles  hung  from  its  south 
side.  The  ice  composing  it  was  very  homogeneous.  How  such 
a  mass  could  be  pushed  up  until  it  touched  the  ice-foot  is  a 
mystery."  Near  Cape  Stanton  he  says  :  "  The  ice  to  the  north 


LOCKWOOD   ISLAND   AND   RETURN.  343 

seemed  very  rough  ;  no  extensive  floes  visible.  .  .  .  Tho 
changed  appearance  of  the  floebergs  is  a  subject  of  daily  re- 
mark. Well-known  floebergs  were  so  much  dwindled  down  in 
size  as  to  be  hardly  recognizable." 

At  Repulse  Harbor  they  opened  Lieutenant  Beaumont's  cairn. 
Sergeant  Brainard  well  says  :  "  Poor  fellows !  their  history  at 
this  period,  when  the  whole  party,  scurvy-stricken,  were  turned 
back  by  open  water  from  their  attempt  to  reach  the  Alert,  is 
related  in  this  record  by  Lieutenant  Beaumont  in  a  touching 
and  pathetic  manner." 

In  1876,  Lieutenant  Beaumont,  after  a  journey  of  successful 
exploration,  pushed  with  extraordinary  energy  until  the  break- 
down of  his  sledge-crew  by  scurvy  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Sher- 
ard  Osborn  Fiord,  found  himself  compelled  to  turn  backward 
with  his  disabled  crew.  After  a  severe  and  exhausting  march 
along  the  North  Greenland  coast,  during  which  his  men  sick- 
ened and  weakened  daily,  he  reached  Eepulse  Harbor  with  his 
party  in  an  almost  helpless  condition. 

With  a  laudable  desire  that  his  work  should  live  after  him, 
Lieutenant  Beaumont  left  at  Repulse  Harbor  a  record  of  his 
successful  geographical  explorations,  and  further  says  :  "  Out  of 
seven  men  forming  the  whole  party,  two,  William  Jenkins  and 
Charles  Paul,  are  absolutely  helpless,  having  to  be  dressed  and 
carried  to  and  from  the  sledge.  Another,  Peter  Craig,  is  just 
able  to  walk  very  slowly.  Wilson  Dobing  is  gradually  ap- 
proaching the  stage  when  he  will  no  longer  be  able  to  pull,  and 
Frank  Jones,  though  he  has  unmistakable  signs  of  the  same 
disease,  has  not  become  worse  until  the  last  few  days.  Severe 
work  made  the  stiffness  a  little  more  felt ;  the  two  last,  together 
with  Alexander  Gray  and  Lieutenant  Beaumont  (who,  as  yet,  is 
well  in  health),  are  the  four  working  hands  upon  whom  the  bur- 
den of  the  work  falls  entirely.  Both  Dobing  and  Jones  are 


344  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

working  with  great  spirit  and  determination  ;  Craig  has  shown 
much  courage  in  holding  out  so  long,  and  all  have  done  their 
best." 

Uncertain  as  to  the  best  course  to  follow  in  his  desperate 
strait,  Lieutenant  Beaumont  boldly  decided  to  cross  Robeson 
Channel  to  the  Alert,  where  relief  was  certain,  but,  in  doubt  as 
to  the  possibility  o3f  making  the  trip,  he  wrote : 

"  I,  Lewis  A.  Beaumont,  who  wrote  the  preceding  record,  hav- 
ing weighed  over  very  carefully  the  whole  matter,  firmly  believe 
that,  to  the  best  of  my  belief  and  knowledge,  I  have  taken  the 
right  course  and  hopefully  trust,  with  God's  help,  to  carry  it  out. 

"  It  is  my  intention,  immediately  on  reaching  the  Alert,  to 
procure  assistance  for  those  at  Polaris  Bay  (believing  that  they 
are  too  few  to  manage  the  twenty-foot  ice-boat),  either  from 
that  ship  or  the  Discovery." 

Rotten  ice  and  open  pools  drove  him  back,  but  he  did  not 
despair  and  turned  his  face  southward,  adding : 

"  We  have  been  out  on  the  ice,  and,  after  having  successfully 
passed  the  shore  hummocks  and  the  first  floe,  we  came  to  open 
water  and  last  year's  ice  decaying  fast.  Though  we  could  have 
got  round  it,  I  did  not  feel  justified  in  running  so  great  a  risk 
as  it  would  be  to  arrive  on  the  other  side  eight  days  later  with 
three  helpless  men  and  more  open  water ;  so,  having  no  choice 
left,  we  are  starting  for  Polaris  Bay  immediately." 

Still  later,  when  affairs  were  yet  worse,  he  wrote : 

"  REPULSE  HARBOB  DEPOT,  June  13,  1876. 

"  Three  of  us  have  returned  from  the  camp,  half  mile  south, 
to  fetch  the  remainder  of  the  provisions.  Dobing  has  failed 
altogether  this  morning. 

"  Jones  is  much  worse,  and  cannot  last  more  than  two  or 
three  days. 


346  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

"  Craig  is  nearly  helpless ;  therefore  we  cannot  hope  to  reach 
Polaris  Bay  without  assistance.  Two  men  cannot  do  it,  so  we 
will  go  as  far  as  we  can  and  live  as  long  as  we  can.  God  help  us. 

"  L.  A.  BEAUMONT." 

This  brilliant  record  of  British  courage,  discipline,  devotion 
to  duty,  and  endurance  must  ever  affect  deeply  all  who  may 
read  its  full  details.  To  the  men  of  the  Lady  Franklin  Bay 
Expedition,  who  justly  appreciated  the  terrible  contingencies 
of  the  situation,  and  who  dared  similar  dangers,  this  story,  as 
told  by  the  gallant  Beaumont,  was  full  of  deep  and  thrilling 
interest. 

The  trip  from  Repulse  Harbor  through  Gap  Valley  was 
made  in  a  little  over  eleven  hours.  A  wonderful  snow-grotto 
was  found  in  Gap  Yalley,  being,  says  Brainard,  "  about  a  hun- 
dred yards  long  with  an  entrance  ten  feet  in  diameter.  It  was 
supported  by  small  columns,  and  the  vaulted  roof  was  covered 
with  fine,  feathery  frost-work,  more  beautiful  than  any  which 
had  ever  before  charmed  my  eyes."  Near  here  he  "found 
several  rocks  containing  fossils." 

Sergeants  Lynn,  Ralston,  and  Elison  were  found  well  at 
Polaris  Boat  Camp.  They  had  reached  that  place  in  six  marches 
from  Cape  Bryant,  travelling  as  rapidly  with  their  light  sledge 
as  Lieutenant  Lockwood  had  done.  Frederik,  Jewell,  and 
Salor  had  returned  to  Fort  Conger.  The  party  at  Boat  Camp 
had  experienced  a  succession  of  violent  gales  which  made  life 
wretched  and  uncomfortable.  The  only  exciting  event  had  been 
the  visit  of  two  bears,  May  17th,  which  came  from  Newman 
Bay  and  passed  southward  from  Cape  Sumner  while  the  party 
were  asleep.  A  few  ptarmigan  and  a  fox  were  the  only  other 
signs  of  animal  life  during  the  twenty-five  days'  monotonous 
stay. 


a  r 


LOCKWOOD   ISLAND   AND   RETURN.  347 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  left  there  four  hundred  pounds  of  ra- 
tions and  some  other  supplies  for  the  next  year's  work,  and  in 
fourteen  hours'  travel  crossed  Robeson  Channel  to  Cape  Beechy 
in  face  of  a  violent  snow-storm.  It  was  quite  remarkable  that, 
travelling  on  this  day  in  which  no  sun  was  seen,  the  party  were 
badly  affected  with  snow-blindness  through  not  using  goggles. 
Two  of  them  had  to  be  led  into  Conger,  where  the  entire  party 
arrived  June  1st,  after  an  absence  of  sixty  days.  Apart  from 
snow-blindness  they  were  all  strong,  healthy,  and  sound. 

This  sledge-trip  must  stand  as  one  of  the  greatest  in  Arctic 
history,  considering  not  only  the  high  latitude  and  the  low 
mean  temperature  in  which  it  was  made,  but  also  the  length 
of  the  journey  and  the  results  flowing  therefrom.  The  mean 
temperature  for  the  forty-three  days'  outward  travel  was  below 
zero  Fahrenheit — one  of  the  lowest  means  on  record  for  an 
extended  trip.  The  party  were  absent  sixty  days,  and  ex- 
perienced no  serious  frost-bites,  although  subjected  frequently 
to  temperatures  from  -31°  (-35°  C.)  to  -49°  (-45°  C.). 
During  that  time  Lieutenant  Lockwood  made  with  the  dog- 
sledge  forty-six  marches,  and  travelled  (one  thousand  and 
seventy  statute  miles)  nine  hundred  and  twenty-eight  geo- 
graphical miles — an  average  of  over  twenty  geographical  miles 
to  a  march.  His  outward  journey  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-six 
miles  entailed  travel  of  four  hundred  and  seventy  miles,  owing 
to  the  necessity  of  doubling  up  and  assisting  the  man-sledges. 
The  outward  rate  of  travel  was  2.1  mijes,  and  inward  2.3  miles 
per  hour. 

His  discoveries  extended  to  a  point  ninety-five  miles  along 
the  north  Greenland  coast  beyond  the  farthest  ever  seen  by 
his  predecessors,  to  which  should  be  added  about  thirty  miles 
of  coast-line  between  Capes  May  and  Britannia  not  visible  to 
Lieutenant  Beaumont.  The  results  of  his  journey,  then,  consist 


348  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

not  in  the  mere  honor  of  displaying  the  Stars  and  Stripes  four 
miles  nearer  the  geographical  Pole  than  the  flag  of  any  other 
nation,  but  in  adding  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  of 
coast  (not  including  several  hundred  miles  of  inland  fiords)  to 
Greenland,  and  in  extending  the  main-land,  over  a  degree  of 
latitude,  from  Cape  May  northward  to  Cape  Washington. 

The  domain  added  to  Physical  Geography  may  thus  be  sum- 
marily described :  From  Cape  Bryant  to  Cape  Washington  the 
coast-line  is  a  series  of  high,  rocky,  and  precipitous  promontories, 
probably  the  north  projection  of  islands  in  many  cases,  with 
intervening  inlets.  This  afforded  but  little  coast-journeying, 
and  necessitated  the  constant  crossing  of  fiords  with  accompany- 
ing bad  travel. 

The  inlets,  with  "  no  visible  land  at  the  head  of  several  of 
them,  were  very  much  like  immense  canals,  and  gave  the  whole 
coast  the  appearance  of  Greenland  between  Upernavik  and 
Disco."  One  inlet  from  the  summit  of  Britannia  Island  ap- 
peared to  run  nearly  parallel  to  the  coast,  making  "  islands  of 
all  the  promontories  to  the  north."  As  far  as  seen  "  the  in- 
terior seemed  very  high  and  was  ...  a  maze  of  mountain- 
peaks,  with  universal  covering  of  snow,  merging  into  and  over- 
lapping one  another.  .  .  .  From  Lockwood  Island  I  saw 
mountains  to  the  east,  perhaps  twenty  or  thirty  miles  distant, 
and  a  high  mountainous  country  doubtless  exists  all  along  this 
coast  for  some  distance  to  the  south,  the  shore-lines  of  the  fiords 
invariably  being  at  the  base  of  steep  cliffs  and  mountains." 

The  tide-crack,  as  it  was  called,  is  a  very  remarkable  division 
between  the  somewhat  hummocky  floes  of  the  Polar  Ocean 
and  the  level  ice  of  the  inlets,  varying  from  a  few  feet  to 
several  hundred  yards  in  width.  It  was  seen  from  near  Cape 
May  to  Lockwood  Island — and  later  off  Cape  Bryant — and 
stretched  from  headland  to  headland  in  gentle  curves.  Near 


LOCKWOOD   ISLAND   AND   RETURN.  349 

Cape  Frederick  moving  ice  was  detected.  I  agree  with  Lieu- 
tenant Lockwood  that  it  was  caused  by  "  the  outside  polar  pack 
having  constantly  more  or  less  motion."  This  cause  seems 
most  probable,  as  the  drift  of  the  Tegetthoff,  Dijinphna,  and 
Jeannette  in  different  parts  of  the  Polar  Basin,  and  Norden- 
skj  old's  experiences  at  Mossell  Bay  show  beyond  a  doubt  that 
open  water-spaces  exist  in  the  Polar  Ocean,  and  its  main  ice 
moves  the  entire  winter.  The  drift  of  Dr.  Pavy  near  Cape 
Joseph  Henry,  and  of  Brainard  at  Black  Horn  Cliffs,  both  in 
April  and  in  different  years,  prove  the  uncertain  unification  of 
the  polar  pack,  even  in  early  spring  when  floe-ice  is  most  solid. 

The  existence  of  last-year's  ice  to  the  northward  of  Cape 
Britannia  indicates  that  in  unusually  favorable  years  there  is  a 
possibility  of  a  well-found  ship  pushing  along  the  northwestern 
coast  of  Greenland,  as  Maclure  did  along  Banks  Land ;  probably, 
too,  to  meet  the  same  fate  as  the  Investigator  in  Mercy  Bay. 

The  age  of  the  tide  at  Conger  and  the  exceptional  depth  of 
the  sea  north  of  Cape  May  (one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
fathoms  and  no  bottom)  augur  to  my  mind  the  inconsiderable 
extension  of  Greenland  to  the  northward  (say  to  the  eighty-fifth 
parallel)  and  the  presence  there  of  a  deep  sea  as  compared  with 
the  shallow  basin  north  of  Grinnell  Land.  Indeed,  I  doubt 
not  there  is  a  very  considerable  land  to  the  north  of  the  Parry 
Islands,  which,  entirely  ice-clad,  throws  off  to  the  east  the  im- 
mense palseocrystic  floes  and  floebergs  which  crowd  down  on 
Grinnell  Land  and  thence  southwestward  to  Banks  Land.  In 
a  limited  way  the  same  conditions  prevail  near  the  Korth  as 
toward  the  South  Pole.  This  opinion  indicates  my  belief  that 
Carpenter  has  advanced  the  correct  theory  as  to  the  formation 
of  this  ice,  and  that  Moss  was  right  in  believing  the  salt  in 
it  to  be  by  infiltration  and  efflorescence. 

Lieutenant  Lock  wood's  success  might  have  been  greater  if 


350  THREE   TEAKS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

the  dogs,  purchased  in  Greenland,  had  been  exempt  from  dis- 
ease. Other  causes  militated  against  him,  for  which  I  was  re- 
sponsible. Had  I  not  been  tempted  to  send  a  party  north  of 
Cape  Joseph  Henry,  when  the  mere  honor  of  the  Farthest 
North  seemed  within  our  grasp,  the  North  Greenland  expedi- 
tion would  have  been  pushed  at  least  fifty  miles  beyond  Cape 
Washington.  Had  Lieutenant  Lockwood  carried  snow-shoes 
beyond  Britannia,  he  would  undoubtedly  have  reached  Cape 
Washington.  If  I  had  sent  northward  Hudson  Bay  sledges, 
steel  shod,  a  few  miles  at  least  would  have  been  added  to  this 
unprecedented  latitude.  With  our  wits  sharpened  by  our  first 
year's  experience,  and  with  our  energies  turned  in  one  direc- 
tion Lieutenant  Lockwood  and  I  concurred  in  thinking  that  he 
could  proceed  a  hundred  miles  beyond  Lockwood  Island.  His 
extraordinary  journey  to  Black  Horn  Cliffs,  when  he  was  turned 
back  by  open  water,  in  1883,  proves  that  this  opinion  had  sound 
premises.  In  1882  Lieutenant  Lockwood's  opinions  were  in 
entire  accord  with  my  own,  and  our  mistakes,  which  only  add 
to  his  credit  for  this  successful  work,  are  touched  on  only  for 
the  benefit  of  posterity  and  our  successors  in  Polar  exploration. 
This  journey  has  been  erroneously  thought  by  some  to  have 
opened  up  again  the  Smith  Sound  Route.  Such  is  not  the 
case,  for  no  nation  will  willingly  spend  $500,000  for  a  possible 
chance  of  planting  their  national  ensign  a  hundred  miles  north- 
eastward of  Cape  Washington.  I  say  possible  chance,  for  on 
the  coincidence  of  favorable  ice-navigation,  solidity  of  the  pack, 
perfect  outfitting  of  a  sledge-party,  good  judgment,  and  in- 
domitable energy  of  leader  and  men  depends  the  hope  of  suc- 
cess of  any  party  who  strive  to  beat,  on  the  Greenland  coast,  the 
latitude  of  Lockwood  and  Brainard. 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 

SPRINGTIME    AND    SUMMER. 

winter  had  been  one  of  unprecedented  severity — the 
mean  temperature  for  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-one 
days  without  the  sun  being  —32.3°  (—35.7°  C.).  Spring 
opened,  however,  much  warmer,  and  its  March  mean  of  —29.9° 
( —  34.4°  C.)  was  particularly  mild. 

Apart  from  the  sledge  journeys,  the  following  items  extracted 
from  my  journal  cover  the  most  important  incidents  of  our 
spring  life  in  1882 : 

"  March  2d. — Sergeant  Rice  and  party  went  to  Watercourse 
Bay  for  the  two  musk  cattle  cached  last  autumn.  They  found 
only  the  bones  hanging  to  the  tripod,  the  meat  having  been 
picked  by  cunning  foxes  through  the  snow-drifts  forming  by  it. 

"  I  have  been  running  for  exercise  lately,  and,  from  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  the  first  day,  now  run  three  thousand  yards 
without  stopping.  Shortness  of  breath  and  stiffness  were  at 
first  experienced,  but  have  now  passed  away.  This  experience 
varies  from  the  facts  noted  by  Nares,  where  violent  exercise, 
even  with  healthy  men,  was  followed  by  blood-spitting." 

"  7th. — Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  hunting  to-day,  wounded  a 
hare  through  the  hind  leg.  It  hopped  steadily  away,  and  was 
followed  two  miles  before  he  got  a  shot,  when  a  ball  was  put 
through  the  stomach.  In  two  miles'  further  chase  it  lost  a  cup- 
ful of  entrails.  A  third  ball  broke  both  fore-paws,  when  the 
animal,  jumping  to  reach  a  high  rock,  fell  over  a  cliff  for  nearly 


352  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

two  hundred  feet.  When  picked  up  it  still  showed  signs  of 
life.  Such  tenacity  of  life  on  the  part  of  so  timid  and  weak  an 
animal  was  surprising." 

"  March  8th. — I  learned  to-day  that  one  of  the  officers  had 
lately  neglected  to  take  his  lime-juice  regularly.  On  question- 
ing him  he  said  he  thought  its  beneficial  effect  as  to  scurvy 
would  be  destroyed  if  it  was  persistently  taken.  I  felt  obliged 
to  insist  on  the  same  rule  in  this  matter  for  officers  as  men, — 
no  exemption  except  for  medical  causes." 

"  10th. — The  black  bulb,  in  the  sun,  recorded  to-day,  for  the 
first  time,  11.8°  (-11.2°  C.)." 

"  23d. — Our  first  lemming  was  caught  to-day.  The  ends  of 
its  black  hairs  were  pure  white,  giving  it  a  peculiar  pepper-and' 
salt  appearance." 

"  25th.— To-day,  with  its  mean  temperature  of  —40.5°  (—40.3° 
C.),  is  the  coldest  of  the  month.  The  minimum  was  —46.8° 
(-43.8°  C.)." 

"  26th. — Private  Bender  was  re-enlisted  to-day,  his  term  of 
service  having  expired  yesterday,." 

"29th.— The  barometer  touched  28.988,  the  lowest  point 
reached  since  our  arrival.  The  day  is,  however,  clear  and 
calm." 

"  April  3d. — Sergeant  Rice  saw  icicles  pendent  upon  a  floe 
and  from  the  cliffs  with  southern  exposure.  The  highest  tem- 
perature has  been  —7°  (—21.7°  C.)  He  brought  in  a  fox, 
probably  poisoned." 

"  8th. — The  sun  is  now  above  the  horizon  at  midnight.  To- 
day the  temperature  rose  at  5  P.M.  to  1.2°  (—17.1°  C.)  after 
having  been  below  zero  (—17.8°  C.)  for  one  hundred  and  sixty 
consecutive  days.  Private  Henry  saw  a  wolf  at  Depot  "  B," 
April  6th,  and  two  followed  Connell  and  him  to  Distant  Cape 
yesterday." 


SPRINGTIME   AND   SUMMER.  353 

"April  llth. — The  snow  on  the  black  roof  melted  freely 
under  the  influence  of  the  sun.  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  saw  an 
eagle,  and  its  scream  was  heard  by  Sergeant  Gardiner."  This 
was  probably  the  same  eagle  which  was  seen  by  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  and  Eskimo  Frederik  in  St.  Patrick  Bay,  April  4th. 

"  13th. — Long  killed  a  ptarmigan  near  the  coal-mine." 

"  14th. — Gardiner  heard  a  snow-bird,  the  first  of  the  season." 

"  16th. — Cross,  hunting  to-day,  saw  a  fox." 

"22d. — The  maximum  at  The  Bellows  since  October  12th 
has  been  15°  (-9.4°  C.),  against  13.9°  (-10.1°  C.)  at  Conger." 

"  29th. — Two  snowy  owls  were  seen  to-day  by  Lieutenant 
Kislingbury." 

"  May  3d. — An  incident,  which  caused  much  amusement,  oc- 
curred while  I  was  in  the  field,  in  which  Lieutenant  Kislingbury 
played  a  part.  One  of  the  men  had  suffered  terribly  for  nearly 
a  week  with  toothache,  which  permitted  him  neither  to  eat  nor 
sleep.  Lieutenant  Kislingbury  was  the  only  officer  at  the  sta- 
tion, and  the  man  begged  him  to  pull  his  tooth,  which  the 
Lieutenant  consented  to  do,  with  the  understanding  that  the 
afflicted  man  should  himself  adjust  the  forceps.  This  done, 
Lieutenant  K.,  by  main  strength  pulled  the  tooth,  fortunately 
without  breaking  the  man's  jaw.  To  their  consternation,  how- 
ever, the  tooth  pulled  was  perfectly  sound,  while  the  aching 
one  still  remained.  The  men  have  suffered  considerably  from 
toothache  during  the  past  year."  It  is  especially  important  that 
all  recruits  for  Arctic  service  should  have  perfect  teeth. 

"  5th. — Schneider,  with  his  team  of  seven  puppies  only  five 
months  old,  made  their  first  long  trip  at  this  time.  They  made 
a  round  trip  of  over  fifty  miles  in  twenty  hours,  hauling  from 
forty  to  sixty  pounds  per  dog.  They  are  now  considered  fit  for 
light  field  work."  These  dogs,  raised  with  so  much  care  and 

trouble,  proved  of  great  value  in  subsequent  explorations. 
23 


354 


THREE  YEARS    OF  ARCTIC    SERVICE. 


On  May  14th,  in  accordance  with  Long's  request,  I  sent  him 
and  "VVhisler  to  visit  the  English  depot  in  Archer  Fiord.  Long 
had  been  debarred  from  extended  trips,  owing  to  the  uncertain 


Long  and  Whisler  returning  from  Archer  Fiord,  May,  1882. 
[From  a  photograph.] 

state  of  his  health,  and  by  the  advice  of  the  doctor.  They  took 
a  Hudson  Bay  sledge  and  snow-shoes,  and  were  absent  but 
four  days  and  two  hours,  during  which  time  they  travelled 
about  sixty-five  miles.  Long  travelled  some  distance  farther 


SPRINGTIME   AND   SUMMEK.  355 

than  Whisler  and  visited  Hillock  Depot  where  the  rations  left 
by  Lieutenant  Archer,  R.ISL,  were  found  in  good  order,  except 
the  bread  which  was  mouldy. 

On  May  9th  Dr.  Pavy  was  ordered  to  proceed  with  dog-team 
the  following  day  to  Repulse  Harbor,  to  communicate  with 
Lieutenant  Lockwood's  party,  but  Jewell,  Salor,  and  Frederick 
returned  to  the  station  that  day  bringing  a  report  of  Lieutenant 
Lockwood's  movements.  The  order  was  consequently  amended 
and  Dr.  Pavy  visited  instead  Sergeant  Lynn's  party  at  Polaris 
Boat  Camp,  taking  them  some  delicacies  from  the  station.  He 
returned  on  the  16th,  coming  in  accordance  with  his  orders  by 
way  of  Thank  God  Harbor,  from  which  he  brought  three  cans 
of  pemmican,  a  grindstone,  and  several  books. 

May  16th,  seal-holes  were  observed  near  Distant  Cape,  and 
two  days  later  a  seal  (Phoca  barbata)  was  seen.  Five  of  this 
species  were  subsequently  killed  during  the  month — four  by 
Jens  and  one  by  Connell.  The  largest  was  eight  feet  two  inches 
long  and  weighed  four  hundred  pounds  gross.  One  of  the  seals 
had  evidently  been  injured  by  a  bear,  as  he  was  badly  scratched 
and  one  of  his  flippers  had  been  bitten  off.  The  seals  were 
flayed  by  Jens  and  the  skins  kept  for  specimens,  but  the  meat, 
except  the  liver  and  other  choice  bits,  was  fed  to  the  dogs. 

Seal-hunting  was  a  matter  of  pride  and  interest  to  Jens,  and 
he  pursued  it  as  long  as  the  condition  of  the  ice  would  .per- 
mit. He  used  a  blind,  a  large  piece  of  white  cloth,  which  was 
mounted  on  a  miniature  sled  so  as  to  cover  it  entirely  from 
view.  The  hunter  crawling  cautiously  on  the  ice,  pushes  the 
sled  before  him,  watching  the  seal  through  a  small  hole  in  the 
cloth.  A  support  on  the  sled  affords  a  rest  for  his  rifle  when 
the  hunter  is  sufficiently  near  to  be  certain  of  killing  the  seal. 

"  May  15th. — I  saw  to-day  a  patch  of  moss  quite  green  ;  tem- 
perature 16°  (-8.9°  C.)." 


356  THREE  YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

"May  19tli. — I  visited  the  coal-mine  to-day,  going  overland. 
In  the  deep,  soft  snow  were  many  tracks  of  foxes  and  lemmings. 
In  certain  places  a  fox  had  been  digging  for  lemmings,  there 
being  frequently  holes  a  foot  deep.  In  one  case  the  fox  had 
dug  down  vertically  eighteen  inches,  and  then  tunnelled  after 
the  lemming  for  a  long  distance.  I  obtained  from  the  slate 
above  the  coal  about  fifty  fine  specimens  of  fossils.  The  work 
was  too  dangerous  to  be  long  pursued,  as  huge  masses  on  the 
overhanging  cliffs  had  been  detached  by  this  melting  weather, 
and  were  ready  to  separate  and  fall.  Several  fell  while  I  was 
present.  The  coal  seam  is  two  hundred  yards  long  and  extends 
eight  feet  above  the  level  and  an  unknown  distance  below  the 
surface  of  the  creek  which  flows  by  it  in  summer.  It  seems 
probable  that  the  stream  has  worn  its  way  through  the  friable 
slate  and  soft  coal,  leaving  the  present  narrow  deep  canon  with 
walls  of  slate  and  coal.  Near  by  the  main  seam  is  another  of 
less  extent.  An  immense  quantity  of  coal  could  be  easily 
mined.  I  saw  what  I  took  to  be  an  Iceland  gull  (Larus  leucop- 
terus).  I  at  first  thought  it  the  Burgomaster,  but  it  was  so  small 
and  the  pale  blue  mantle  was  so  marked  that  I  consider  its 
identity  certain.  I  saw  a  trickling  stream  to-day,  from  which 
possibly  two  gallons  an  hour  were  flowing.  Several  such  have 
been  seen  within  the  past  few  days  in  very  favorable  localities. 
Up  to  this  time  the  maximum  temperature  has  been  only  23.8° 
(—4.6°  C).  Connell  caught  a  lemming  to-day. 

"  May  21st. — An  Iceland  gull,  evidently  a  straggler,  was  seen 
to-day  ;  probably  the  same  bird  observed  by  me  on  the  19th. 

"  May  25th. — Lieutenant  Kislingbury  brought  in  an  owl's 
egg,  which  was  somewhat  larger  than,  though  closely  resem- 
bling, the  white  egg  of  a  hen.  Sergeant  Israel  found  it  very 
palatable.  The  male  bird  showed  signs  of  fight  when  the  egg 
was  taken,  while  the  female  looked  on  from  about  a  hundred 


SPRINGTIME  AND   SUMMER. 


357 


yards.  The  first  owl  observed  was  on  April  29th  ;  since  then 
one  or  more  have  been  frequently  seen.  The  nest  is  a  mere 
hole  hollowed  ont  on  the  summit  of  a  commanding  knoll,  and 
furnished  with  a  few  scattered  feathers,  grass,  etc. 

"  Long  planted  half  of  the  garden  to-day."    Lettuce,  cabbage, 


Coal  Seam  showing  above  Watercourse  Creek. 
[From  a  Photograph.] 

radishes,  etc.,  were  experimented  with  unsuccessfully,  owing, 
I  think,  to  the  alkalies  in  the  soil. 

On  May  25th  I  sent  Sergeant  Israel,  Connell  and  Jens  with 
a  dog-team  to  ascertain  whether  Lake  Hazen  was  practicable 
by  an  overland  route  through  The  Bellows. 


358  THREE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  Sergeant  Israel's  report : 

Seven  hours'  inarch  brought  them  to  the  depot  at  head  of 
Basil  Norris  Bay.  Traces  of  game  were  seen,  and  several 
musk-oxen  travelling  westward  on  Sun  Peninsula. 

Camp  No.  2  was  made  after  five  and  a  half  hours'  work, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  Devil's  Head,  in  a  latitude 
which  was  later  determined  to  be  81°  46'  N.  The  valley  at  first 
was  almost  entirely  bare  of  snow,  but  later  they  were  obliged 
to  put  on  snow-shoes.  "  At  this  camp,"  says  Israel,  "  we  found 
a  considerable  quantity  of  coal,  some  wood,  and  numerous 
pieces  of  a  substance  resembling  resin.  The  valley  had  recently 
been  crossed  by  a  herd  of  rnusk-oxen.  .  .  .  Connell  found 
a  musk-ox  skull,  apparently  of  great  age." 

Camp  No.  3  was  made  just  north  of  a  projecting  spur  from 
the  west,  which  nearly  crossed  the  valley.  Longitude,  by  obser- 
vation, 6'  10.4"  W.  of  Conger  (in  time) ;  latitude,  81°  47'  K ; 
magnetic  declination,  102°  10'  W.  From  an  adjacent  hill  four- 
teen musk-oxen  were  seen,  of  which  "  Connell  shot  two  cows 
and  a  yearling.  After  driving  off  the  rest  of  the  herd  we 
skinned  these."  Two  hours'  travel  on  May  28th  brought  them 
to  a  place  where  the  valley  narrowed  rapidly,  with  steep  moun- 
tains to  the  west.  Connell  was  sent  up  a  mountain,  but  saw 
only  an  occasional  peak  to  the  west,  owing  to  cloudy  weather. 
He  ascended  fourteen  hundred  feet  above  the  valley,  which  was 
at  that  point  about  three  hundred  and  twenty  feet  above  the 
sea.  Israel  "  proceeded  up  the  valley  about  three  miles.  The 
valley  at  this  point  splits  into  two  narrow  ravines,  one  extend- 
ing up  a  mountain-side  for  a  mile,  and  the  other  terminating 
in  the  same  manner  after  extending  to  the  north  about  three 
miles.  As  there  is  no  turn  in  either  of  these  passes  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  valley  ends  here  instead  of  communicating 
with  another  running  in  from  the  east  as  I  at  first  thought." 


SPRINGTIME  AND   SUMMER. 


359 


Returning  to  the  point  where  Connell  had  ascended  the  moun- 
tain the  latitude  (by  observation)  was  determined  to  be  81°  54' 
N.,  longitude  (D.  R.)  V  44.4"  W.  of  Conger  (in  time).  About 
three  miles  north  of  Devil's  Head  the  valley  was  measured  with 
the  following  results:  "Width,  4,280 feet;  height  of  cliffs, 
west,  1,999  feet;  east, 
825  feet."  In  return- 
ing, lack  of  snow 
forced  them  to  carry 
load  and  sledge  for 
considerable  dis- 
tances. The  upper 
portion  of  the  ravines, 
which  were  said  by 
Sergeant  Israel  to  be 
filled  with  snow,  must 
have  been  filled  with 
glaciers,  for  the 
amount  of  water  seen 
later  in  Bellows  River 
was  by  far  too  great 
to  have  come  from 
any  snow  in  the  val- 
ley. The  musk-oxen 
killed  by  Connell 
were  later  brought  to 
the  station  by  Ser- 
geant Rice,  who  was  sent  with  Schneider  and  Jens  into  The 
Bellows. 

"  May  28th.— The  temperature  at  9  A.M.  reached  32.5°  (0.3° 
C.)  having  been  continuously  below  the  freezing-point  for  nine 
months  less  two  days." 


C.W.PAULAS 
H.M.S.  Discover. 
Life 

JUNE  2.  1876 
Aged 


Decoration  Day  at  Conger,  1882. 
[From  a  Photograph.] 


360  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

"  May  30th. — It  being  Decoration  Day,  we  observed  it  as  a 
general  holiday.  Happily  we  have  no  graves  of  our  own  but 
on  this  occasion,  Frederick  and  Long  were  inspired  with  the 
thoughtful  idea  of  decorating  the  head-boards  of  the  dead  of 
the  British  Arctic  Expedition,  set  up  at  this  place  in  1876.  In 
default  of  regular  flowers  they  made  an  elaborate  artificial 
bouquet,  which,  with  our  camp  colors,  were  tastefully  draped 
over  the  head-boards."  These  marks  of  appreciation  and  honor 
to  our  dead  predecessors  must  be  considered  of  greater  value 
thus  coming  from  the  rank  and  file  of  the  expedition  than  if 
the  initiative  had  been  taken  by  the  officers. 

June  was  opened  by  the  safe  return  of  Lieutenant  Lockwood 
and  his  party,  who  were  not  long  contented  to  remain  at  the 
station.  On  June  10th  Lockwood,  Brainard,  and  Frederik  left 
under  orders  for  a  trip  down  Archer  Fiord  and  returned  on  the 
15th.  In  addition  to  six  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  dressed 
meat  from  three  musk-oxen  killed  by  them,  they  brought  in  the 
English  Hillock  Depot  of  eighty-four  rations,  the  bread  being 
bad.  It  was  evident  that  the  rations  left  in  bags  by  Lieutenant 
Archer,  K.!N.,  had  been  consumed  by  animals.  Lieutenant 
Lockwood  was  turned  back  from  Hillock  Depot  by  the  im- 
mense quantity  of  water  covering  the  floe  in  Archer  Fiord. 

Of  Eskimo  relics  Sergeant  Brainard  says :  "  I  found  at  the 
head  of  Sun  Bay  the  sites  of  fifteen  Eskimo  summer  tents, 
evidently  occupied  during  their  hunting  season.  Near  the  head 
of  Basil  Norris  Bay  I  discovered  fifteen  other  circles  slightly 
larger  than  the  first.  I  picked  up  numerous  bone  and  a  few 
wood  relics  of  these  hardy  people,  but  nothing  metallic  was 
seen.  Those  I  collected  were  worked,  drilled,  and  bored,  but 
large  numbers  of  split  bones,  probably  of  the  seal  and  musk-ox, 
were  strewn  around." 

My  journal  says  of  these  relics :  "  The  most  important  is  of 


SPRINGTIME   AND   SUMMER.  361 

worked  porous  bone,  six  and  one-half  inches  wide,  one  arid  one- 
half  inch  thick,  and  eighteen  and  one-half  inches  long.  Evi- 
dently it  is  a  part  of  a  native  sledge  and  of  the  cellular  bone  of 
the  whale,  as  described  by  Kane.  One  side  was  covered  with 
lichens  (of  which  I  recognized  at  once  seven  separate  kinds),  and 
was  so  affected  by  exposure  as  to  be  almost  unrecognizable  as 
bone.  The  reverse  side,  however,  showed  plainly  the  marks  of 
the  knife.  No  less  than  forty-two  circular  holes  had  been  bored 
through  or  into  (so  as  to  connect  with  other  holes)  this  piece.  On 
both  sides  appeared  mortices  into  which  dowels,  extending  from 
this  piece  to  others,  could  be  inserted.  In  addition,  one  end  was 
thinned  down  so  that  it  would  overlap  a  second  similar  piece 
without  increasing  the  thickness.  Two  bones  forming  a  pecu- 
liar harpoon  were  found,  which  are  so  fastened  together  that 
when  used  the  head  remains  in  the  seal,  while  the  shoulder,  as 
it  may  be  called,  is  by  a  pull  separated  from  it,  forming  with 
the  seal-thong  (by  which  it  remains  connected  with  the  head) 
a  hinge  by  which  the  animal  can  be  towed  without  pulling  out 
the  lance.  It  is  like  the  harpoon  of  the  Danish  Eskimo.  There 
are  several  other  parts  of  hunting-gear.  A  dog-trace  fastening 
(whale's  tooth  probably)  appears  much  fresher  and  is  in  far 
better  condition  than  any  other  article  discovered.  One  very 
small  article  is  of  walrus  ivory.  Sergeant  Brainard  says  that 
fully  a  tori  of  bones  could  be  gathered  from  one  of  the  encamp- 
ments. There  was  only  one  place  resembling  a  house,  about  six 
feet  square,  of  large  flat  stones,  the  roof  of  which  had  fallen  in." 
Various  other  signs  of  the  presence  of  Eskimo  encampments 
were  noted  in  the  vicinity  of  Discovery  Harbor.  On  June  5th 
Connell  found  the  bone  handle  of  a  skinning-knife  at  the  site 
of  what  was  thought  to  be  a  lookout  on  a  high  cliff  above 
Dutch  Island.  I  later  visited  the  place,  and  a  careful  search  re- 
sulted in  the  discovery  of  a  toggle  for  dog-traces  made  of  walrus 


362  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

ivory,  a  spear-point  of  narwhal's  horn  about  nine  inches  long, 
many  bones  of  hare  and  lemming,  and  one  which  might  have 
been  human,  though  the  doctor  could  not  state  positively,  as  it 
seemed  too  porous.  In  addition,  a  piece  of  pine  (?)  wood  care- 
fully worked,  two  inches  long,  an  inch  wide,  and  an  eighth  of 
an  inch  in  thickness.  In  one  end  and  one  side  were  two  small 
wooden  pins,  which  had  evidently  been  used  in  fastening  other 
pieces  to  it.  On  June  15th,  I  found  on  a  low  plateau  near  Fort 
Conger,  south  of  Cascade  Ravine  an  ancient  Eskimo  cache. 
June  20th,  Connell  dug  up,  near  Proteus  Point,  part  of  a 
stone  lamp  and  various  articles  of  hunting-gear  made  from 
walrus  ivory.  One  of  the  most  interesting  articles  we  dis- 
covered was  a  piece  of  birch  bark  admirably  preserved. 

June  21st,  I  discovered  an  Eskimo  cache  on  the  plateau  near 
the  Sugar  Loaf,  and  two  days  later  Private  Henry  found  at  Dis- 
tant Cape,  about  two  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  part  of  a  bone 
shoe  of  a  sledge-runner  on  which  were  six  or  seven  different 
kinds  of  lichen.  July  2d,  Sergeant  Brainard  found,  near  Dutch 
Island,  the  site  of  an  Eskimo  summer  encampment,  where  he 
unearthed  several  parts  of  hunting  implements  made  of  the 
bone  of  the  whale,  and  a  spear-point  of  a  narwhal's  horn.  A 
few  days  later  he  picked  up  the  bone  handle  of  a  knife,  another 
spear-point,  and  the  shoe  of  a  sledge-runner. 

Though  no  permanent  huts  were  to  be  found  near  Conger, 
yet  the  many  traces  indicate  that  for  years  the  Eskimo  must 
have  frequented  the  shores  of  Discovery  Bay,  and  later  dis- 
coveries proved  their  winter  residence  in  the  interior. 

On  June  10th  Connell  killed  two  musk-oxen  near  the  sta- 
tion, and  this  led  to  the  discovery  of  seven  others,  who,  strange 
to  say,  were  gathered  on  the  very  summit  of  Sugar  Loaf,  about 
eighteen  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  A  party  sent  out  killed 
them  all  and  captured  alive  four  young  calves,  which  were 


SPRINGTIME   AND   SUMMER.  363 

found  with  them.  The  calves  were  brought  in  by  the  men 
on  their  heads  from  the  top  of  the  mountain,  at  which  point 
Dr.  Pavy  picked  up  a  fossil  shell.  Every  effort  was  made  to 
raise  the  calves,  which  soon  became  tame  and  tractable.  They 
ate  milk,  corn-meal,  and  almost  any  food  that  was  given  them. 
They  grew  finely,  except  one  whose  throat  was  torn  open  by 
the  dogs.  In  a  short  time  they  became  very  fond  of  Long  and 
Frederick,  who  generally  cared  for  them,  and  would  follow  them 
around  and  put  their  noses  into  the  men's  pockets  for  food.  I 


Musk  Calves  at  Conger,  Four  Months  Old. 
[From  a  Photograph.} 

had  intended  to  send  them  to  the  United  States  by  the  visiting 
vessel  of  1882.  When  the  long  nights  came  it  was  impractica- 
ble to  give  them  exercise,  and  probably  from  this  cause,  despite 
our  care,  they  died. 

On  June  19th  I  succeeded  in  having  the  launch  moved  from 
her  winter  bed  on  the  ice-foot  into  the  tidal  crack. 

One  of  the  most  surprising  peculiarities  of  Grinnell  Land  was 
the  unusually  early  date  on  which  flowers  came  into  blossom. 

June  1st  the  purple  saxifrage  (Saxifraga  oppositifotia}  was 
in  bloom,  and  three  days  later  the  catkins  of  the  willow  (Salix 


364  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

arctica\  followed  the  next  day  by  the  sorrel  (Oxyria  renifor- 
mis).  On  the  eleventh  Cochlearia  fenestrata  blossomed,  and 
ten  days  later  the  Arctic  poppy  (Papaver  nudicaule}.  On  the 
latter  date  I  discovered  on  the  summit  of  the  Sugar  Loaf 
reindeer  moss  (Cladonia  rangiferind),  one  of  the  few  places  in 
which  it  was  found  growing  near  Fort  Conger.  That  1882  was 
not  an  exceptionally  early  year  was  shown  by  1883,  when,  giv- 
ing personal  attention  to  the  subject  I  discovered  six  varieties 
in  bloom  by  June  6th.  At  Thank  God  Harbor,  in  1872,  saxi- 
frage was  in  bloom  by  June  3d. 

The  following  are  the  earliest  flowers  found  in  bloom  by 
Nordenskjold :  Pitlekaj,  67°  05'  N".,  187°  W.,  Cochlearia  fenes- 
trata, June  23,  1879;  Treurenberg  Bay,  Spitzbergen,  79°  57' 
K".,  Saxifraga  oppositifolia,  June  22,  1861,  and  the  same  plant 
at  Wahlenburg  Bay,  Northeast  Land,  79°  46'  K,  June  15, 1873. 
Kumlein  reports  that  in  early  July,  1878,  at  Cumberland  Sound, 
about  67°  N.,  only  four  plants  were  in  blossom. 

Of  the  birds  of  Grinnell  Land,  the  rock  ptarmigan  (Lagopus 
rupestris)  is  a  winter  denizen.  The  owl  (Nyctea  scandiacd)  and 
snow  bunting  (Plectrophanes  nivalis]  had  been  with  us  since 
April,  while  a  stray  eagle  (Halicetus  albiciUa]  and  Iceland  gull 
(Larus  leucopterus}  had  also  been  observed. 

On  June  3d  the  ravines  commenced  discharging  generally 
into  the  bay,  and  on  the  same  day  the  geese  (Bemicla  brentd) 
arrived,  accompanied  by  one  of  the  robber  gulls,  the  long- 
tailed  skua  (Stercorarius  longicaudatus).  In  the  order  named 
appeared  later  the  burgomaster  (Larus  glaucus),  dovekie  ( Uria 
gryUe\  knot  (Tringa  canutus\  king  duck  (Somateria  spectdbi- 
lis\  long-tailed  duck  (Harelda  glacialis),  eider  duck  (Somateria 
ynollissima'),  tern  (Sterna  macrura),  and  turnstone  (StrepsUas 
interpret). 

It  was  remarkable  how  wild  and  wary  were  the  members  of 


SPRINGTIME   AND   SUMMER.  365 

the  feathered  tribe  which  came  to  us  in  summer.  Only  by 
great  caution  and  patience  could  our  hunters  get  within  gun- 
shot, and  then  many  specimens  were  lost  by  falling  in  the  sea 
where  strong  currents  and  heavy  ice  prevented  their  recovery. 

In  the  Appendices  will  be  found  papers  treating  more  fully 
than  is  convenient  here  the  subjects  of  botany  and  ornithology. 


CHAPTEK  XXVII. 

SUMMER    EXPLORATIONS. 

[LIEUTENAOT  GREELY'S  JOURNEY.] 

T  ATE  in  June  sledging  over  the  sea-floe  was  ended,  and 
•^  nothing  but  summer  routine  was  possible  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  station. 

I  decided  to  personally  renew  the  explorations  of  the  interior 
of  Grinnell  Land.  With  this  view  Private  Biederbick  was  sent 
to  the  depot  at  Basil  Norris  Bay,  with  orders  to  penetrate  as  far 
into  Black  Rock  Yale  as  it  was  possible  for  him  to  do,  and  re- 
turn in  a  single  march.  He  travelled  some  sixteen  miles  up 
the  valley  discovering  a  lake  of  considerable  size,  temporarily 
named  Lake  Heintzelman,  which  discharges  into  the  sea  through 
a  river  of  the  valley.  He  reported  travel  to  be  practicable  for 
some  distance  by  wagon,  the  manner  in  which  I  contemplated 
pursuing  this  work. 

Later  Sergeant  Lynn  with  Private  Bender  were  sent  into  the 
valley  with  orders  to  ascertain  whether  the  northern  end  of 
Lake  Hazen  could  be  reached  by  that  route.  They  took  with 
them  from  the  Basil  Norris  Depot  a  dog-tent,  and  light 
sleeping-bag,  to  be  left  a  day's  march  outward.  They  were 
absent  four  days  and  succeeded  in  reaching  a  high  hill  from 
which  four  glaciers  could  be  seen,  and  a  lake  which  they  be- 
lieved to  be  Lake  Hazen.  They  were  doubtful  whether  a 
wagon  could  be  hauled  over  the  country  successfully. 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  367 

I  decided,  however,  to  make  the  attempt,  and  left  Fort  Conger 
on  June  24th  with  Lynn,  Biederbick,  Salor,  and  Whisler.  I 
travelled  as  far  as  the  depot  in  Basil  Norris  Bay  with  the  dog- 
sledge  Antoinette.  The  harbor  floe  had  lately  been  covered 
with  much  water,  which  left  the  surface  of  the  ice  sharp  and 
pointed.  The  dogs'  feet  were  badly  cut  owing  to  the  forgetful- 
ness  of  the  driver  to  take  sealskin  boots  for  them.  These  boots 
are  very  necessary  in  travelling  over  sharp  ice  at  any  season  or 
hard  snow  at  very  low  temperatures.  Considerable  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  reaching  safely  the  southwestern  shore  of  Dis- 
covery Bay,  owing  to  the  many  water-holes  in  the  main  floe. 

While  the  party  were  cooking  dinner  I  obtained  latitude 
observations,  and  later  examined  the  sites  of  the  Eskimo  sum- 
mer encampments,  which  were  on  a  plateau  about  twenty  feet 
above  tide-water.  There  were  large  piles  of  bones  mostly  of 
the  seal,  which  had  been  split  evidently  for  the  marrow.  A 
few  pieces  of  worked  bone  and  wood  were  found,  and  also  the 
slat  of  an  ancient  Eskimo  sledge. 

Our  travelling  outfit,  taken  from  the  depot,  was  of  limited 
character  and  quantity  ;  consisting  of  bread,  pemmican,  corned 
beef,  tea,  chocolate,  sugar,  milk,  salt,  pepper,  and  alcohol,  and 
sleeping-bags.  The  plan  of  march  contemplated  two  men  haul- 
ing the  fore-wheels  of  a  light  wagon,  on  which  the  main  load 
was  packed.  Two  others  carried  knapsacks  containing  loads  of 
about  twenty  pounds,  and  at  intervals  these  men  changed  work 
with  those  pulling  the  wagon. 

I  carried  myself  the  scientific  instruments,  including  tele- 
scope, prismatic  compass,  sextant,  etc.,  and  employed  iny  time 
in  examining,  as  fully  as  possible,  the  country  over  which  we 
passed.  At  one  low  ridge,  before  Black  Eock  Valley  was  reached, 
I  found  by  digging  that  the  alluvial  soil  was  composed  of  various 
strata  of  a  fine  lignite  coal  and  of  sand.  The  coal  evidently 


368  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

had  been  brought  to  that  point  and  deposited  by  the  floods 
from  the  river  in  The  Bellows. 

Nearly  three  hours'  work  brought  us  to  the  "  Knife  Edge,"  a 
remarkable  formation  on  the  western  side  of  Black  Rock  Yale. 
On  the  east  side  is  a  high  round  bluff  of  peculiar  formation 
known  as  Bifurcation  Cape,  which  separates  The  Bellows  and 
Black  Rock  Yale.  The  river  was  nearly  forty  yards  wide  and 


Bifurcation  Cape,  separating  Bellows  and  Black  Rock  Valleys. 
[From  a  Photograph. ] 

eighteen  inches  deep  at  the  entrance  of  the  latter  valley.  From 
the  very  entrance  of  Black  Rock  Yale  we  had  virgin  ground  for 
exploration,  untrodden  by  our  English  predecessors. 

After  thirteen  hours'  travelling  from  our  home  station  we 
camped  on  the  northeastern  side  of  Lake  Heintzelman,  at  the 
point  where  the  dog-tent  had  been  left  by  Sergeant  Lynn. 

On  the  shores  of  this  lake  Biederbick  found  a  pair  of  rein- 


1882.]  SUMMER   EXPLORATIONS.  369 

deer  antlers,  and  I  picked  up  a  piece  of  close-grained  wood, 
apparently  pine,  two  and  a  half  feet  long  and  nearly  an  inch  in 
diameter.  A  musk-ox  was  seen  near  this  point,  but  at  too 
great  a  distance  to  be  pursued.  Indeed,  hunting  was  quite 
apart  from  the  object  of  the  journey,  as  fresh  meat  in  great 
quantity  was  yet  on  hand  at  our  home  station. 

In  a  ravine  near  the  camp  were  two  trees,  probably  conifer- 
ous, partly  covered  by  earth.  One  was  ten  feet  long  and  six- 
teen inches  in  diameter,  and  originally  had  two  branches.  The 
second  tree  was  six  feet  long  and  twelve  inches  in  diameter. 
They  were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant  from 
Lake  Heintzelman,  and  fully  twenty  feet  above  its  level.  Two- 
thirds  of  both  trees  were  imbedded  in  the  ground,  and  it  was 
only  with  considerable  labor  that  they  were  dug  out.  It  seemed 
evident  from  their  position  that  they  must  have  been  brought 
there  as  drift-wood,  and  gradually  covered  up  by  the  earth 
washing  down  from  the  adjacent  hill-side.  Their  presence,  at 
an  elevation  probably  three  hundred  feet  above  and  eight  or 
ten  miles  distant  from  the  sea,  shows  without  much  doubt  that 
within  a  tolerably  recent  period  this  valley  has  been  an  arm  of 
the  sea.  Up  to  this  point,  and,  indeed,  for  a  short  distance  be- 
yond, marine  shells  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  were  quite 
common.  While  at  this  camp  (No.  1)  several  flies  were  noted. 

During  this  march  no  snow  was  seen  except  on  the  adjacent 
mountain-tops.  Lake  Heintzelman  was  covered,  except  a  narrow 
margin  of  water,  by  thick  honeycombed  ice.  The  presence  of 
such  ice  in  summer  indicates  the  permanency  of  a  lake. 

After  nearly  twelve  hours'  rest  we  moved  onward,  and  at  noon, 
stopping  a  few  moments,  I  obtained  latitude  observations  in  the 
centre  of  the  valley.  At  that  time  a  high  warm  wind  was 
blowing  from  the  interior,  and  the  temperature  was  considerably 

above  40°  (5°  C.). 
24 


370  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

As  the  wagon  showed  signs  of  weakness  and  the  west  side  of 
the  river  was  less  rough  than  that  on  which  we  were  travelling, 
we  attempted,  just  above  Lake  Heintzelman,  to  cross  the  river, 
but  found  the  water  too  deep  for  safe  fording.  Geese,  musk- 
oxen,  and  a  wolf  were  observed  on  the  march,  none  of  which 
were  we  able  to  obtain. 

Seven  hours'  travelling  over  very  rough  ground  "  dished  "  a 
wheel,  and  lunch  was  taken  while  repairs  were  being  made. 
About  this  time  I  saw  many  musk-oxen,  fifteen  in  one  herd, 
and  three  in  another.  In  the  vicinity  of  this  spot  the  remains 
of  dead  willow  existed  in  sufficient  quantities  to  enable  us  to 
cook  our  tea  with  it. 

About  5.30  P.M.  we  again  camped,  after  nearly  eight  hours' 
travel,  during  which  we  made  about  sixteen  miles.  The  valley 
at  that  time  was  a  mile  wide  with  tolerably  level  ground  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  which  flowed  first  to  one  and  then  to 
the  other  side  of  the  valley.  Above  the  main  level  of  the  valley 
were  occasional  projecting  plateaus — mesa  lands  or  benches — 
which  were  some  forty  to  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river, 
but  apart  from  these  projecting  benches  it  was  shut  in  by 
high  steep  cliffs,  of  an  elevation  varying  from  fifteen  hundred 
to  two  thousand  feet.  In  its  whole  extent  the  valley  was  entirely 
barren  of  snow,  and  in  most  places  was  covered  with  a  compara- 
tively luxuriant  vegetation.  This  consisted  generally  of  willow, 
saxifrages,  and  dryas,  though  where  the  river  widened,  in  occa- 
sional places,  grasses  or  sedges  to  a  height  of  ten  or  twelve 
inches  were  frequently  noticed. 

The  only  snow  visible  were  drifts  near  or  on  the  very  sum- 
mits of  the  cliffs,  which  encompassed  the  valley.  In  occasional 
places  these  drifts  fed  inconsiderable  brooks,  which  in  course  of 
years  had  worn  narrow  beds  through  the  scanty  soil  to  the  rocks 
which  underlaid  it.  It  would  have  been  possible  to  scale  these 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  371 

cliffs  only  at  such  points  as  the  water-courses  had  worn  their 
way.  My  journal  says  :  "  Lake  lleintzelman  is  about  a  mile 
and  one-fourth  wide  at  its  lower,  and  three-fourths  of  a  mile  at 
its  upper  end,  substantially  filling  the  whole  valley  from  cliff  to 
cliff.  The  river  from  the  lake  to  our  present  camp  averages 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  depth,  and  varies  from  twenty  to 
forty  yards  in  width." 

Twelve  hours'  rest  at  Camp  No.  2  put  us  in  good  condition. 
"We  cached  one  day's  rations  for  the  returning  party  and  moved 
on,  seeing  some  skuas  and  a  wolf.  A  short  distance  farther, 
owing  to  the  rough  country,  we  were  obliged  to  cross  the  river, 
which  was  done  with  some  difficulty,  as  it  was  nearly  two  feet 
deep  with  a  soft  bottom.  Shortly  after  two  musk-oxen  were 
seen,  on  the  side  of  the  river  we  had  just  left. 

My  field  journal  says:  "The  country  now  opens  into  a  fine 
level  valley  about  a  mile  and  a  half  wide,  covered  in  the  main 
by  a  very  considerable  quantity  of  grass,  which  in  its  manner 
of  growth  and  appearance  resembles  the  bunch  grass  of  our 
western  prairies.  In  addition  there  are  many  young  willows, 
saxifrages,  dryas,  etc.  Enough  dead  willows  can  be  gathered  at 
almost  any  spot  for  the  requirements  of  any  sledge  party." 

A  short  march  brought  us  to  the  junction  of  two  streams, 
one  of  which  flowed  from  the  continuation  of  Black  Rock  Vale 
and  the  second  from  a  valley  to  the  left,  nearly  at  right  angles 
to  that  in  which  we  were  travelling.  I  decided  to  follow  the 
latter  valley,  as  it  ran  nearly  in  a  western  direction,  and  so 
must  eventually  bring  us  to  Lake  Hazen. 

As  travelling  was  bad  and  slow,  while  the  party  were  follow- 
ing the  main  valley,  I  climbed  a  high  hill,  of  about  nine  hundred 
feet  elevation  above  the  river,  which  promised  a  good  view  of 
the  western  country.  Unfortunately  other  hills  of  nearly  the 
same  elevation  cut  off  part  of  the  prospect.  I  was  able,  how- 


372  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

ever,  to  see  a  portion  of  the  hog-backs  to  the  northwest,  which 
I  designated  as  the  United  States  Mountains,  and  a  partly  snow- 
covered  range,  somewhat  to  the  southward  of  them,  which  I 
had  named  Garfield  the  preceding  spring. 

A  fine  hare,  still  in  fur  of  perfect  white,  visited  me  while  I 
was  making  my  observations,  and  examined  me  curiously  at  a 
distance  of  a  few  yards.  As  I  was  not  armed  he  escaped,  but 
even  had  I  been,  I  should  have  hesitated  about  killing  an  ani- 
mal which,  having  such  great  natural  timidity,  had  placed  so 
much  confidence  in  my  kind  intentions. 

Crossing  the  main  valley  I  reached  the  summit  of  the  hill  to 
the  westward,  which  proved  to  be  a  divide  of  the  water-sheds 
of  the  region,  that  to  the  west  draining  into  Lake  Hazen.  The 
elevation  of  this  divide  was  about  1,390  feet.  From  it  I  had  a 
beautiful  view  to  the  westward,  which  showed  four  lakes  be- 
tween me  and  the  eastern  end  of  Lake  Hazen.  A  glacier  on 
the  north  side  of  Lake  Hazen  was  also  plainly  visible  to  the 
naked  eye,  and  showed  up  finely  through  the  telescope.  I 
there  caught  a  butterfly,  and  saw  three  skuas,  two  bumble- 
bees, and  many  flies  (of  three  kinds),  which,  my  field  journal 
says,  "  are  not  as  plentiful  as  yesterday." 

A  very  strong  wind  with  high  temperature,  about  45°  (7.2° 
C.),  interfered  somewhat  with  my  success  in  obtaining  a  set  of 
circum-meridian  observations,  as  the  hill  was  totally  bare  of 
shelter.  The  latitude  proved  to  be  81°  49'  K 

As  I  passed  down  the  divide  to  the  westward,  other  lakes  came 
into  view,  making  eight  in  all  seen  during  that  day's  march. 
After  eleven  hours'  travelling,  on  the  shoulder  of  a  hill  adjacent 
to  Lake  Appleby  we  made  Camp  No.  3,  June  27th. 

I  quote  from  my  field  notes  :  "  Private  Biederbick  saw  two 
tern,  of  which  one  was  shot,  and  a  long-tailed  duck.  In  addi- 
tion, a  flock  of  birds  from  twelve  to  fifteen  in  number,  resem- 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  373 

bling  snipe,  but  unlike  any  other  species  seen  by  him,  were 
observed,  and  also  a  butterfly.  About  a  mile  southwest  of  the 
divide  Biederbick  picked  up  a  piece  of  lignite  coal,  which  re- 
sembles that  of  The  Bellows  and  of  the  mine  in  Watercourse 
Bay.  It  seems  somewhat  remarkable  that  this  coal  is  so  widely 
spread  over  the  country  and  that  we  should  find  it  on  the  water- 
shed of  Lake  Hazen.  I  have  observed  reindeer  moss  in  two 
places,  of  quite  stunted  growth,  however.  Private  Whisler  saw 
three  long-tailed  ducks  and  killed  one,  which,  with  the  tern, 
flavors  excellently  our  stew. 

"  I  find  that  we  are  surrounded  by  a  system  of  small  lakes, 
which,  draining  from  one  into  another,  form  a  complete  chain 
and  finally  discharge  into  Lake  Hazen.  The  lake  of  highest 
elevation,  temporarily  named  Rogers,  drains  into  Lake  Appleby, 
and  that  into  Lake  Biederbick. 

"  The  chain  of  lakes  discovered  are  permanent,  as  without 
exception  they  have  a  large  central  section  of  ice,  the  winter  ice 
having  melted  this  summer  only  at  the  edges. 

"  I  have  obtained  time  observations  and  bearings  of  the  sun, 
from  which  the  variation  at  this  point  is  approximately  103.5°  W. 
From  the  summit  of  the  hill  above  the  camp  I  can  see  part  of 
Lake  Hazen  and  the  west  end  of  John's  Island.  Quite  a  num- 
ber of  glaciers  are  in  view,  pressing  through  the  gaps  in  the 
Garfield  range,  and  what  I  take  to  be  the  higher  part  of  Henri- 
etta Nesmith  glacier  is  seen  in  rear  of  the  mountains. 

"  Later,  Whisler,  who  had  been  hunting  toward  Lake  Hazen, 
saw  six  long-tailed  ducks  and  shot  one.  Lynn  saw  nine  musk- 
oxen  within  two  miles  of  the  camp." 

I  decided  to  examine  the  small  lakes  to  the  eastward,  but  in 
trying  to  reach  the  main  ice  in  Lake  Appleby,  so  as  to  cross  it  and 
avoid  a  long  detour,  I  broke  through  its  edge,  and  wet  myself 
to  my  thighs,  and  later  sent  Biederbick  in  my  place,  while 


374  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

drying  my  clothing.  He  returned  after  several  hours'  absence, 
bringing  a  rough  drawing  of  the  lake  system  as  observed  by 
him.  He  reported  having  seen  about  sixty  long-tailed  ducks, 
several  flocks  of  turnstones,  several  king  ducks,  Brent  geese, 
and  a  tern. 

While  at  this  camp,  No.  3,  we  obtained  but  little  sleep,  owing 
to  the  large  swarms  of  flies,  which  worried  us  very  much. 
Biederbick  and  I  slept  in  the  dog-tent,  but  the  great  heat  and 
the  annoying  flies  broke  our  rest  and  made  us  thoroughly  un- 
comfortable. On  rising  at  2  A.M.  the  temperature  was  found 
to  be  very  high,  48°  (8.9°  C.),  with  a  minimum  of  47°  (7.8°  C.) 
since  the  preceding  evening.  We  felt  certain  the  temperature 
must  have  touched  50°  (10°  C.),  which  is  a  torrid  heat  for  Grin- 
nell  Land.  Dead  willows  were  very  plentiful  in  the  vicinity  of 
our  camp,  and  we  wrere  able  to  cook  entirely  with  them,  and 
so  reserve  our  small  stock  of  alcohol. 

In  early  morning  the  conditions  of  light  were  so  favorable 
that  from  the  hill-top,  the  outlines  of  five  glaciers  were  plainly 
visible  in  the  Garfield  mountains. 

At  3.30  A.M.,  June  28th,  when  we  again  started  westward, 
the  air  was  uncomfortably  hot,  with  a  temperature  of  53° 
(11.7  C.).  During  this  day's  travel  I  found  small  pieces  of 
lignite  coal  to  be  quite  plentiful  along  the  shores  of  Lake  Kil- 
bourne.  In  this  lake  also  there  were  many  small  minnows  from 
three-quarters  to  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  several  of  which 
I  caught.  We  crossed,  between  Lakes  Ivilbourne  and  Craig, 
a  stream  two  hundred  yards  long  and  thirty  feet  wide,  with 
an  average  depth  of  nine  inches,  which  connected  the  two 
lakes. 

Finding  the  distance  very  much  increased  by  following  the 
shores  of  the  lakes,  I  decided  to  strike  direct  across  the  country, 
and  in  seven  hours  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river  by  which 


1882.]  SUMMER   EXPLORATIONS.  375 

the  lake  system  drains  into  Lake  Hazen.  Within  a  half  mile  of 
Lake  Hazen  I  picked  up  a  large  reindeer  horn. 

As  we  were  preparing  to  cross  the  stream  a  pair  of  long- 
tailed  ducks  was  seen  in  the  river,  and  both  birds  were  wounded 
by  Biederbick  at  the  first  shot.  The  male  being  the  worst  hit 
could  not  fly,  and  as  ammunition  was  scarce  Biederbick  waited 
to  get  them  together  to  kill  them  at  a  single  shot.  The  female 
bird  would  fly  away  a  short  distance  and  then  return  to  the 
mate  in  the  stream.  Attracted  by  her  calls  a  second  male 
came  and  settled  in  the  water  and  was  fiercely  attacked  by  the 
first.  The  birds  were  so  carried  away  by  anger  and  passion  as 
to  lose  all  fear  of  man,  their  natural  enemy,  and  allowed  us 
unnoticed  to  approach  to  the  river's  edge  within  a  few  yards  of 
them.  During  the  fight  which  followed  between  the  males  the 
three  were  easily  killed  at  a  shot. 

The  river  was  crossed  with  considerable  difficulty,  it  being 
quite  wide  with  a  muddy  bottom,  and  we  were  obliged  to  carry 
most  of  the  articles  across  on  our  backs,  which  was  only  done 
by  wetting  ourselves  to  our  thighs.  As  the  temperature  of  the 
water  was  but  slightly  above  the  freezing-point,  our  bath  in  it 
was  by  no  means  pleasant.  While  crossing  the  river  a  flock  of 
king  ducks  and  twelve  musk-cattle  were  seen.  Our  route  now 
followed  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Hazen. 

The  wagon,  in  the  men's  vernacular,  was  a  "  man-killer,"  and 
the  rough,  uneven  road  not  only  wrenched  the  men  sadly  by 
the  sudden  heavy  jerks  and  joltings,  but  also  threatened  to 
break  the  vehicle  down  completely.  By  loading  the  knapsacks 
to  their  utmost  capacity,  and  through  the  system  of  caching 
each  day  rations  for  the  return  journey  the  load  on  the  wagon 
was  considerably  reduced.  Frequent  changes  from  knapsack 
to  wagon  work  enabled  fair  progress  to  be  made. 

Marching  a  few  miles  farther  two  islands,  parallel  with  each 


376  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC    SERVICE.  [June, 

other  and  with  the  south  shore,  were  discovered  in  Lake  Hazen, 
one  a  mile  and  the  other  about  half  a  mile  long.  Opposite 
them  I  made  camp  No.  4,  having  travelled  about  twenty  miles 
in  ten  hours. 

In  order  to  save  fuel,  the  party  scattered  to  collect  drift-wood 
along  the  edge  of  the  lake,  which  consisted  chiefly  of  dried 
willows,  but  Corporal  Salor  brought  in  with  his  willows  two 
small  pieces  of  unworked  pine  wood.  Sergeant  Lynn,  while 
gathering  fuel,  saw  six  musk-cattle  on  the  northeast  side  of  the 
lake,  and  near  Camp  Burgomaster — gulls,  terns,  geese,  turn- 
stones,  a  purple  sand-piper,  and  many  skuas  were  also  observed. 

During  the  day's  march  I  noticed  considerable  reindeer-moss 
of  somewhat  stunted  growth.  Only  very  rarely  had  specimens 
been  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  Discovery  Harbor,  and  even  these 
beds  near  Lake  Hazen  were  insufficient  for  pasturage. 

The  weather  was  so  warm  that  all  slept  in  the  open  air,  dis- 
daining our  only  covering — a  dog-tent,  into  which  four  men 
could  barely  crowd. 

On  starting,  at  12.30  A.M.,  June  28th,  the  temperature  stood 
at  53°  (11.7°  C.),  with  a  minimum  of  46.5°  (8.1°  C.)  since  the 
preceding  evening.  While  travelling  along  the  lake  I  saw  two 
ptarmigan,  which  were  shot  by  Biederbick.  One  was  in  winter 
plumage  of  perfect  white,  but  the  other  had  slightly  changed 
its  snowy  coat,  being  beautifully  marked  with  delicate  hues  of 
browns  and  yellows  which  shaded  into  black. 

Xear  by  I  discovered  the  former  site  of  an  old  summer  en- 
campment of  the  Eskimos.  It  was  situated  about  twenty  feet 
above  the  level  of  Lake  Hazen,  and  just  over  the  brow  of  a  low 
divide  which  separated  the  main  lake  from  a  slough,  which 
had  evidently  in  years  past  formed  an  arm  of  the  lake  itself. 
Searching  carefully  about  a  number  of  bones  were  found,  and 
also  pieces  of  unworked  wood,  besides  a  decayed  sledge-slat  of 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  377 

pine  or  fir.  The  circles  indicated  that  four  tents  had  been 
pitched  at  this  place.  The  surroundings  of  the  encampment 
were  marked  by  luxuriant  vegetation  of  grass,  sorrel,  poppies, 
and  other  plants.  Some  specimens  of  the  sorrel  in  this  locality 
must  have  been  from  eight  to  ten  inches  in  height,  and  they 
grew  in  such  quantities  that  we  plucked  them  by  the  handful. 

A  short  distance  beyond  the  encampment  the  party  were  en- 
livened by  the  appearance  of  a  young  hare,  which  we  concluded 
to  catch,  as  he  took  refuge  in  a  mass  of  rocks.  After  quite  an 
exciting  chase  by  the  whole  party,  I  succeeded  in  seizing  him. 
The  high  temperature  then  appeared,  by  our  feelings,  to  be 
about  100°  (38°  C.),  though  probably  about  60°  (15°  C.)  by  the 
thermometer,  and  these  extraordinary  exertions  caused  profuse 
perspiration,  which  saturated  our  clothing. 

A  short  distance  above  this  point,  while  passing  around  the 
sandy  shores  of  a  bay  extending  inland  from  the  lake,  I  found  two 
bone  shoes  for  the  runners  of  a  sledge.  There  were  five  pieces 
of  worked  bone  (of  the  whale),  and  the  two  runners  were  com- 
plete, except  a  small  piece,  about  two  inches  long,  which  was 
missing  from  the  end  of  one.  The  runners  were  imbedded 
about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep  in  sandy  loam,  which  had 
gradually  been  deposited  around  them  in  past  years  by  water 
from  the  lake.  As  found  they  were  about  two  and  a  half  feet 
below  the  highest  level  of  the  lake,  as  shown  by  the  bordering 
fringe  of  gravel  and  drift-wood.  It  appeared  surprising,  at  first, 
that  they  had  not  been  buried  entirely  by  the  sand.  While  this 
might  augur  their  recent  abandonment,  yet  the  fact  that  they 
were  more  or  less  covered,  on  their  exposed  parts,  with  mosses 
and  lichens  would  contradict  that  theory.  It  seemed  prob- 
able that  high  winds,  sweeping  along  the  level  beach,  would 
gradually  uncover  articles  once  completely  buried,  especially  as 
the  light  covering,  when  dry,  drifted.  The  deposit  of  sandy 


378  THKEE   YEAES   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

loam  was  an  extensive  and  level  one,  such  as,  from  its  ap- 
pearance, had  naturally  formed  from  the  action  of  the  lake 
while  yet  under  the  surface  of  the  water.  The  gradual  sub- 
sidence of  the  lake  in  winter  and  the  melting  of  the  ice-foot  the 
following  summer  left  these  articles  undisturbed,  while  carrying 
away  the  wood. 

In  making  noon  observations  at  camp  No.  5,  which  I 
reached  some  time  in  advance  of  the  men,  I  found  that  my 
sextant  case  had  evidently  been  stepped  on  the  night  before, 
and  one  of  the  shades  broken  and  the  instrument  possibly  in- 
jured. Later,  on  returning  to  the  station,  the  injury  was  found 
to  be  such  as  did  not  impair  the  value  of  my  observations.  A 
poor  set  of  latitude  observations  were  obtained,  owing  to  a  very 
high  gale,  which  had  suddenly  sprung  up  from  the  southwest, 
and  also  to  the  obscuration  of  the  sun. 

Camp  No.  5  was  established  at  the  junction  of  Lake  Hazen 
and  Ruggles  River,  the  place  discovered  by  me  the  preceding 
April.  The  cache  then  left  was  found  undisturbed. 

On  arriving  at  this  camp  it  presented  a  delightful  and 
pleasant  aspect.  The  sky  was  partly  covered  with  true  cumulus 
clouds,  quite  rare  in  Arctic  heavens ;  the  sun  marked  with 
checkered  bars  of  sunshine  and  shadow  the  babbling  river, 
the  large  blue  pool,  and  its  noisy  occupants ;  the  temperature 
was  high,  and  the  gay  yellow  poppies  and  other  flowers  drew 
to  them  gaudy  butterflies.  If  one  but  turned  his  back  to  the 
central  ice  of  Lake  Hazen,  and  the  bursting  glaciers  from  the 
ice-clad  mountains  northward  of  the  Garfield  Range,  and  gazed 
southward  to  the  low  brown  hills  faintly  tinged  with  olive-green, 
he  could  well  imagine  himself  in  the  roaring  forties  instead  of 
eight  degrees  from  the  geographical  pole.  Four  long-tailed 
ducks  were  noisily  swimming  and  feeding  at  the  junction  of  the 
river,  and  many  turnstones,  with  a  few  skuas  and  terns,  were 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  379 

flying  about.  The  whole  hills  on  either  side  were  tinged  with 
green  from  the  fresh  leaves  of  the  young  willow  and  an  occa- 
sional bed  of  dryas  and  saxifrages.  At  this  point,  and  in  its 
immediate  vicinity,  a  large  number  of  butterflies  were  seen,  of 
which  there  were  apparently  three  different  species.  They  were 
so  active  and  distrustful,  however,  that  I  succeeded  in  capturing 
but  one  during  the  day. 

Having  some  leisure  time  before  the  arrival  of  the  wagon, 
I  examined  carefully  the  surroundings  of  the  camp.  The  flora 
appeared  to  be  the  same  as  that  existing  in  the  vicinity  of 
Discovery  Harbor,  with  the  exception  of  two  flowers,  which 
were  different  from  any  others  I  had  seen.  Specimens  were 
procured  and  carefully  arranged,  but  unfortunately  were 
spoiled  during  my  return  trip  by  being  soaked  beyond  recog- 
nition while  fording  the  many  streams. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  I  had  paid  but  little  attention  to 
Arctic  flora,  and  in  the  press  of  other  matters  neglected  to  make 
a  description  of  these  plants.  Another  plant,  of  the  heath  fam- 
ily, was  found  in  very  large  quantities,  one  or  two  specimens  of 
which  were  sent  back  safely  to  Conger. 

I  was  surprised  greatly  in  discovering,  against  a  vertical  bank 
facing  Rnggles  River,  three  abandoned  Eskimo  huts,  which 
doubtless  had  been  occupied  in  the  far  past  as  permanent 
abodes.  These  houses  were  built  from  large  fine  pieces  of  slate, 
which  were  readily  obtainable  from  the  adjoining  rocks.  Many 
pieces  of  this  slate,  as  large  as  three  feet  by  two  feet,  were  lying 
around,  the  thickness  of  which  varied  from  three-fourths  of  an 
inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half.  The  Eskimo  had  utilized  the  steep, 
precipitous  bank,  against  which  the  back  of  the  houses  rested 
and  in  which  the  chimneys  were  built. 

The  houses  were  six  feet  wide  and  ten  feet  long,  though  pos- 
sibly they  may  have  been  longer,  as  the  walls  most  distant  from 


380  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

the  bank  had  fallen  and  partly  disappeared,  through  being  under- 
mined by  the  river.  The  side  walls  of  the  structure  were  about 
three  feet  in  height.  Apparently  the  whole  house  had  been 
covered  with  large  pieces  of  slate,  which  served  as  a  roof,  for 
many  such  pieces  were  found  in  the  interior  space,  which  was 
partly  filled  by  them.  It  is  probable  that  the  width  of  the 
houses  depended  on  the  size  of  the  pieces  of  slate  which  could 
be  used  as  a  covering.  No  signs  of  a  ridge-pole,  or  a  wooden 
support  to  the  roof,  were  to  be  seen.  We  carefully  removed  the 
flat  slabs,  and,  digging  among  the  dirt  and  moss,  which  was  of 
considerable  depth,  found  many  relics  and  bones,  which  were 
most  numerous  near  the  chimney,  or  fireplace.  Bones  of  the 
musk-ox,  hare,  and  of  various  birds  (and  at  least  one  kind  of 
fish)  were  found  in  great  abundance.  Among  other  articles 
were  three  combs  of  walrus  ivory,  one  of  which  had  ornamental 
work  on  it,  and  whalebone  fish-hooks  (?),  a  bone  needle  (?),  and 
pieces  of  whalebone,  a  shoe  for  a  sledge-runner,  and  a  number 
of  other  worked  articles  of  bone  and  wood,  the  use  of  which 
were  unknown.  A  selection  was  made  from  the  bones,  in  order 
that  it  might  be  determined  what  species  of  animals  had 
been  killed  by  the  Eskimo  who  had  occupied  this  place.  A 
piece  of  dog-skin  of  considerable  size  was  also  dug  out,  which 
had  rotted  to  such  an  extent  that  it  fell  to  pieces  when  handled. 

The  main  party  arrived  at  camp  at  2  P.M.,  after  more  than 
thirteen  hours'  steady  work,  during  which  we  had  travelled  about 
twenty-three  miles. 

A  southwest  wind  prevailed  all  day,  with  cumulus  clouds 
and  a  very  high  temperature,  which  I  estimated  to  be  45°  (7.2° 
C.)  at  6  P.M.,  just  after  time  observations  had  been  made  under 
disadvantageous  circumstances. 

At  2.45  A.M.,  June  29th,  we  started  westward,  with  a  very 
high  temperature  of  50°  (10°  C.).  The  equal  altitudes,  for 


1882.]         .  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  381 

which  I  had  delayed  so  long  at  the  camp,  were  not  obtained, 
owing  to  cloudy  weather. 

During  the  night  Private  Biederbick,  from  one  of  the  ad- 
jacent hills,  saw  a  large  herd  of  musk-oxen,  fully  thirty  in 
number,  besides  many  calves.  In  the  morning  nine  others  were 
seen  on  the  same  divide,  but  to  the  west  of  Ruggles  River, 
which  indicated  their  being  different  animals  from  those  seen 
during  the  night.  A  number  of  terns  and  long-tailed  ducks 
were  also  flying  along  the  open  water.  Ruggles  River,  some- 
what to  my  surprise,  was  but  little  higher  than  in  the  preceding 
May,  being  knee-deep,  with  a  rocky  bottom,  at  the  shallowest 
point,  where  we  crossed. 

After  crossing  the  stream,  about  fifty  yards  from  its  mouth 
and  the  same  distance  from  Lake  Hazen,  on  our  direct  route, 
the  remains  of  an  Eskimo  habitation  were  discovered  by  Private 
Whisler,  I  think.  Its  entrance  passage,  facing  to  the  north 
toward  Lake  Hazen,  was  twelve  feet  long  and  three  in  width. 
About  half  way  between  the  mouth  of  the  entrance  and  the 
main  hut  was  an  opening  to  the  right,  a  circular  space  which 
was  five  feet  in  diameter.  It  seems  probable  that  this  might 
have  been  the  storehouse,  or  possibly  have  been  intended  for 
the  use  of  dogs  in  winter.  The  main  room  was  seventeen  feet 
and  four  inches  long  by  nine  feet  in  width,  being  in  the  shape 
of  an  ellipse,  the  major  axis  of  which  was  at  right  angles  to  the 
entrance  passage. 

One  peculiarity  of  the  house  was  the  existence  of  two  fire- 
places, one  in  the  east  and  one  in  the  south  end,  both  of  which 
had  been  built  outward  so  as  to  take  up  no  part  of  the  space  of 
the  room.  The  sides  of  the  entire  habitation  were  low  walls 
of  sodded  earth,  which  were  lined  inside  by  flat,  thin  slate,  the 
tops  of  which,  on  an  average,  were  elevated  about  two  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  interior  floor.  The  interior  next  to  the 


382 


THREE  YEAES   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


[June, 


walls  was  raised  above  the  centre,  forming  a  ledge,  or  bench, 
which,  covered  with  flat  slabs  of  slate,  was  probably  used  for 
sleeping  purposes,  similarly  to  the  wooden  platforms  in  vogue 
among  the  Danish  Eskimo. 

An  hour  was  occupied  in  carefully  examining  these  remains 


SCALE.: 
8FT-TOAN 

INCH. 


Plan  of  Eskimo  House,  Junction  of  Hazen  Lake  and  Ruggles  River, 
{From  drawing  by  Lieutenant  Greety,  Jtine,  1882.] 

and  in  digging  in  and  about  them  at  every  place  where  it  seemed 
probable  that  anything  could  be  found. 

Near  this  was  the  remains  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  second 
habitation,  of  the  same  character,  but  of  smaller  dimensions. 
Near  the  end  of  the  house  was  found  what  I  at  first  took  to  be 
a  grave.  It  was  a  place  about  four  feet  long  by  two  wide, 
filled  with  moss  and  other  vegetation  of  luxuriant  growth, 
around  the  margin  of  which  was  a  row  of  upright  flat  slate 
rocks  which  projected  slightly  above  the  surface  of  the  vegeta- 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  383 

tion.  With  much  trouble  we  dug  out  the  moss  and  the  hard 
earth  under  it  to  the  depth  of  a  foot,  when  we  found  that  the 
bottom  was  covered  with  flat  slate  stones.  One  or  two  of 
these  were  pulled  up  with  considerable  difficulty,  but  the  only 
object  which  rewarded  our  labor  was  a  small  piece  of  worked 
bone,  which  had  evidently  been  left  there  by  accident.  The 
conclusion  to  which  we  came  after  the  examination,  was  that  it 
had  possibly  been  the  provision  cache,  which  was  thus  arranged 
to  secure  the  meat  from  the  dogs,  but  of  this  we  felt  by  no 
means  certain. 

In  the  two  houses  and  in  the  immediate  vicinity  we  collected 
about  forty  pieces  of  wood  and  worked  bone.  Among  other 
articles  were  one  large  and  two  small  narwhal  horns,  two  walrus- 
ivory  toggles  for  dog-traces,  such  as  are  now  used  by  the  Green- 
landers  ;  an  arrow-head,  two  bone  handles,  a  skinning-knif e  with 
bone  handle  and  iron  blade,  a  bear's  tooth,  whalebone  shoes  for 
the  runners  of  two  sledges,  and  a  wooden  upstander  with  a  care- 
fully made  and  well-fitted  bone  top.  Several  sledge-bars,  some 
of  bone  and  others  of  wood,  and  a  complete  wooden  sledge- 
runner,  which  was  very  heavy,  being  five  feet  long,  nine  inches 
high,  and  over  two  inches  thick,  were  also  discovered. 

Among  other  pieces  of  wood  was  a  pole,  nine  feet  long  and 
about  two  inches  in  diameter,  of  a  hard,  close-grained,  coniferous 
wood,  probably  fir  or  hard  pine.  Parts  of  two  wooden  sledge- 
runners  were  badly  rotted,  but  one  was  yet  in  fair  condition. 

There  were  several  articles  of  worked  bone  whose  use  I  could 
not  surmise,  and  the  character  of  which  were  unknown  to  our 
own  Eskimo.  The  bone  articles  were  of  walrus,  narwhal,  and 
whalebone,  the  first  being  the  predominating  material,  from 
which  small  articles  had  been  made.  Musk-ox  and  hare  bones 
were  very*plentif  ul. 

"  It  appears  evident,"  my  journal  says,  "  that  these  Eskimo 


384  THREE  TEAKS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [Jane, 

had  dogs,  sledges,  arrows,  and  skinning  knives,  and  fed  on 
musk-oxen,  seals,  hares,  and  occasionally  fish.  While  this 
habitation  does  not  appear  to  have  been  covered  with  stones, 
as  were  those  found  by  me  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  yet  the 
arrangements  indicate  more  than  a  summer  encampment." 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  these  habitations  were  covered 
with  skin  roofs,  which  must  have  been  secured  in  a  different 
manner  from  the  Greenland  method,  as  no  circles  of  stone  were 
found.  The  construction  of  these  houses  certainly  entailed  a 
large  amount  of  work.  In  quitting  them,  the  roof  and  its  sup- 
ports must  have  been  entirely  removed.  It  is  possible  that  the 
long  pole  found  may  have  been  used  in  some  manner  as  a  sup- 
port for  the  roof.  It  is  extraordinary  that,  in  abandoning  this 
country,  they  should  have  left  behind  the  pole  and  the  sledges, 
which  were  very  valuable,  unless,  indeed,  their  dogs  perished 
there.  The  depth  at  which  the  dog-toggles  and  other  bone 
articles  were  discovered  indicate  their  having  been  left  by 
accident  where  found,  as  they  were  covered  by  debris,  which 
evidently  accumulated  during  the  occupancy  of  these  huts. 

The  surroundings  were  carefully  examined  for  graves,  as  dur- 
ing the  occupancy,  covering  at  least  two  years,  of  habitations  of 
such  size  it  was  likely  some  one  must  have  died.  No  traces  of 
any  human  remains  could  be  found,  nor,  indeed,  of  the  dogs ; 
but,  in  the  case  of  the  latter,  their  uncared  for  remains  would 
have  been  devoured  and  their  bones  removed  by  foxes  or 
wolves.  It  is  pertinent  to  remark  that  musk-ox  or  other  ex- 
pected bones  were  rarely  found  in  Grinnell  Land. 

Nearly  an  hour  was  spent  in  the  examination  of  these  re- 
mains, after  which  we  started  westward.  From  an  adjacent 
hill  I  plainly  saw  that  the  valley  north  of  John's  Island,  visited 
by  Bender  in  April,  was  filled  with  a  glacier,  the  front  of  which, 
however,  is  three  or  four  miles  distant  from  the  lake.  Exam- 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  385 

ining  the  valley  with  a  telescope,  it  was  plain  that  the  glacier 
discharges  into  Lake  Hazen  by  a  river  opposite  the  eastern  end 
of  John's  Island,  or  behind  a  range  of  low  hills  near  by,  but 
the  former  seemed  to  be  the  more  probable  point.  A  second 
glacier,  a  little  farther  to  the  westward  and  about  five  miles 
distant  from  the  lake,  probably  discharges  by  a  river  opposite 
the  middle  of  the  same  island. 

During  this  day's  march  I  found  a  large  reindeer's  antler, 
and  Corporal  Salor  saw  a  bumble-bee  and  a  "  devil's  darning- 
needle."  Butterflies  were  very  numerous,  as  many  as  fifty 
being  seen  during  the  day.  After  six  hours'  travelling  I  stopped 
the  party  for  lunch,  during  which  I  took  a  set  df  circum- 
meridian  observations  and  compass  bearings  of  the  important 
points.  The  place  where  we  lunched  was  also  the  farthest  for 
Salor  and  Whisler,  who  were  turned  back  to  the  home  station, 
as  their  farther  presence  would  have  been  of  no  benefit  to  us. 
With  this  view  their  blanket  sleeping-bag  had  been  left  at 
camp  No.  5,  to  which  they  returned  during  this  march. 

The  weather  during  the  day  was  excessively  hot,  and  we  suf- 
fered extremely.  The  attached  thermometer  of  the  aneroid 
barometer,  which  was  carried  always  in  the  shade,  stood  at  74° 
(23.3°  C.),  and  the  exposed  thermometer,  though  swung  repeat- 
edly for  seven  minutes  in  the  air,  could  not  be  got  to  read  lower 
than  73°  (22.8°  C.).  This  temperature  was  certainly  a  very  re- 
markable one  to  be  experienced  in  such  a  high  latitude,  but  I 
am  confident  as  to  its  reliability  within  one  or  two  degrees. 

After  eleven  hours'  inarching  we  made  camp  No.  6,  on  the 
eastern  bank  of  Cobb  River,  a  narrow,  rapid  stream  about  two 
feet  deep,  which  drains  the  country  to  the  southward. 

The  day's  march  carried  us  farther  along  the  shores  of  Lake 
Hazen  than  I  had  reached  in  May,  and  now  a  new,  undiscovered 

country  was  gradually  opening  to  our  view. 
35 


386  THREE   TEAKS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

"While  dinner  was  being  prepared  I  ascended  a  hill  to  the 
southward,  which  was  by  barometer  four  hundred  feet  higher 
than  the  plateau  on  which  we  camped.  From  this  point  I  could 
plainly  see  that  Cobb  River  for  about  four  miles  flows  from  the 
south,  and  by  a  break  in  the  hills  I  judged  its  upper  portion  to 
come  from  the  east,  thus  draining  the  country  to  the  southeast. 
To  the  southward  the  hills  gradually  rose  to  an  elevation  of  two 
thousand  feet,  but  in  all  the  extent  of  country  within  sight  there 
was  no  snow  or  ice,  except  such  as  was  to  be  seen  in  the  centre 
of  Lake  Hazen,  or  visible  in  the  form  of  glaciers  flowing  down 
through  the  valleys  of  the  Garfield  Range. 

On  an  adjacent  hill,  about  three  hundred  feet  above  and  com- 
manding an  extensive  view  of  the  lake,  I  found  an  Eskimo 
meat  cache,  near  which  were  signs  of  fire,  although  no  burnt 
fragments  of  any  kind  remained,  probably  having  been  swept 
away  by  the  high  winds. 

My  field  notes  say :  "  During  our  day's  travel  the  wagon- 
wheel  has  dished  twice,  and  is  in  bad  condition,  but  we  hope  to 
get  it  a  long  distance  to  the  westward,  though  we  shall  undoubted- 
ly be  obliged  to  pack  all  our  effects  in  returning.  Several  musk- 
cattle  and  a  number  of  hares  have  been  seen  to-day,  though  we 
have  not  been  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  either.  The  musk- 
cattle  did  not  appear  to  mind  revolver  shots  at  forty  or  fifty 
yards.  The  birds  seem  to  be  disappearing,  as  we  have  seen 
only  a  duck  and  a  goose  during  the  day. 

"  At  4  P.M.  the  temperature  of  the  air  was  67°  (19.4°  C.)  in 
the  shade.  In  order  to  determine  it  correctly,  I  plunged  the 
thermometer  in  the  river,  and  was  surprised  at  the  temperature 
of  the  water  being  45°  (7.2°  C.).  The  only  inference  to  be 
drawn  is  that  the  river  must  flow  a  long  distance  from  the 
supply  of  snow  which  feeds  it.  The  thermometer,  after  being 
taken  from  the  river  and  carefully  wiped,  rose  slowly  in  the 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  387 

shade  to  64°  (17.8°  C.),  which  must  be  accepted  as  correct. 
The  veiy  high  temperature  of  the  air  to-day  explains  the  tem- 
perature of  the  river,  and  we  cannot  do  otherwise  than  believe 
that  the  temperature  of  the  interior  of  Grinnell  Land  must  be 
considerably  higher  in  summer,  and  correspondingly  lower  in 
winter,  than  the  coast  regions.* 

"Vegetation  is  very  luxuriant  at  certain  spots  passed  to-day, 
but  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  our  camp  the  willow  was 
scarce,  and  so  supper  was  cooked  with  alcohol.  We  were  able 
to  collect  sufficient  wood  to  cook  our  morning  meal." 

Longitude  observations  and  magnetic  bearings  were  made  at 
camp  No.  6,  on  Cobb  River,  from  which  the  decimation  was 
108°  "W.  A  small  cairn  was  erected  at  the  camp,  in  which  was 
cached  a  day's  rations  for  our  returning  journey,  and  about  4 
A.M.,  June  30th,  we  started  westward,  the  temperature  of  the 
air  being  49°  (9.4°  C.),  and  that  of  the  river  45.5°  (7.5°  C.). 

Two  herds  of  musk-oxen,  of  four  and  five  heads  respectively, 
were  seen  just  after  leaving  camp,  and  later  three  other  herds, 
aggregating  thirty-one  head.  Four  revolver  shots  were  fired 
into  a  large  bull  within  a  distance  of  twenty  feet,  by  Sergeant 
Lynn,  but  the  animal  escaped. 

We  had  much  trouble  with  our  wagon,  the  wheel  dishing  fre- 
quently, and  after  about  six  hours'  labor,  during  which  frequent 
stops  were  made  to  repair  it,  I  concluded  that  nothing  was  to  be 
done  but  abandon  the  vehicle  and  travel  with  packs.  With  a 
view  to  this  contingency,  knapsacks  had  been  brought  with  us. 

On  one  occasion,  while  the  wagon  was  being  repaired,  I  had  a 

*  In  connection  with  the  high  temperature  experienced  by  us,  it  is  well  to 
note  that  on  the  same  date  the  temperature  rose  to  51.2°  (10. T  C.)  at  Conger, 
which  was  the  highest  ever  there  experienced,  except  the  temperature  of  53° 
(11.7°  C.)  two  days  following.  The  temperature  inland  was  consequently 
about  20°  (11°  C.)  higher  than  on  the  shores  of  Discovery  Bay. 


388  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE.  [June, 

fine  view  of  Henrietta  Nesinith  glacier,  which  was  directly 
north  of  us.  The  glacier  was  examined  carefully  with  field- 
glass  and  telescope.  The  main  glacier  is  formed  from  five 
streams  of  ice  pressing  downward  from  the  ice-cap  in  the  rear 
of  the  Garfield  Range.  A  tributary  of  the  glacier  flows  in  from 
the  west  about  four  miles  above  the  snout,  and  the  second  and 
third  from  the  northwest  about  seven  and  ten  miles  respectively 
inward.  The  main  stream  of  ice  comes  nearly  from  the  north, 
being  separated  from  the  last  tributary  by  a  rounded  mountain 
spur  which  cuts  off  the  horizon  in  that  direction,  but  in  all  other 
quarters  was  an  ice-horizon  which  covered  thirteen  degrees  of 
azimuth.  A  number  of  bare  peaks  showed  up  on  its  eastern 
side,  which  defined  plainly  its  limits  in  that  direction,  at  least 
near  the  lake.  The  discolored  strata,  observed  by  me  in  May, 
in  the  face  of  the  glacier  is  now  fully  explained,  being  the 
abraded  soil  from  mountain  spurs  at  the  confluence  of  the  main 
stream  of  ice  and  the  tributary  branches.  Under  slightly 
changed  conditions  the  faint  streak  of  earthy  sediment  would 
be  supplemented  by  well-defined  medial  moraines,  no  traces  of 
which  could  be  observed,  though  careful  search  was  made  for 
them  by  telescope. 

The  break-down  of  our  wagon  was  a  great  draw-back  to  our 
success.  We  had  travelled  over  a  hundred  miles  from  Conger, 
and  I  expected  to  make  an  equal  distance  farther  to  the  west. 
With  packs  our  distance  must  be  now  quite  limited,  but  we 
accommodated  ourselves  to  the  new  order  of  affairs. 

After  a  hearty  lunch  I  directed  Lynn  and  Biederbick  each  to 
take  what  they  thought  they  could  carry,  and  I  did  the  same. 
Lynn  took  forty-five  pounds,  Biederbick  fifty-seven  pounds,  and 
I  thirty-one  pounds,  as  our  regular  loads.  My  load  was  smaller 
than  the  others,  through  my  inability  to  put  anything  additional 
in  it,  or  on  my  knapsack,  for  fear  of  injuring  my  sextant.  Be- 


1882.]  SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  389 

sides  the  combined  loads,  a  bag  of  hard  bread  weighing  over 
thirty-seven  pounds  was  taken,  which  was  to  be  carried  alter- 
nately by  Lynn  and  Biederbick,  who  were  occasionally  relieved 
by  me.  By  this  arrangement  Lynn  carried  half  the  time 
eighty-two  pounds,  and  Biederbick  ninety-four  pounds,  while  I 
occasionally  carried  sixty-eight.  These  loads,  if  they  could  be 
carried,  enabled  us  to  start  with  sixteen  days'  rations  of  twenty- 
nine  ounces  solid  food — insufficient  for  proper  nutrition,  but  we 
thought  we  could  make  it  do.  "We  took  no  tent,  but  simply  a 
blanket  sleeping-bag  large  enough  for  the  three,  and  no  cloth- 
ing besides  that  in  wear,  except  dry  stockings. 

Opposite  Wagon  Hill,  where  the  wheels  were  abandoned, 
were  two  small  islands,  one  of  which  was  named  Dyas  Island. 
Having  so  arranged  the  articles  abandoned  that  they  would  be 
safe  from  foxes,  and  placed  the  wagon  so  prominently  that  it 
could  be  easily  found,  we  shouldered  our  packs  and  again  turned 
our  faces  to  "  unknown  regions." 


CHAPTER  XXVIIL 

SUMMER    EXPLORATIONS   (Concluded) . 

TT7E  soon  crossed  a  river,  an  important  tributary  of  the  lake, 
about  a  hundred  yards  wide  and  eighteen  inches  deep, 
flowing  with  great  rapidity.  We  were  wet  above  our  knees, 
much  to  our  subsequent  discomfort  in  travelling. 

Ten  musk-cattle  were  seen  shortly  after,  on  one  of  which  the 
revolver  was  tried  without  effect.  This  herd  was  grazing  in 
the  vicinity  of  several  summer  ponds  which  had  formed  on  the 
plateau  a  short  distance  from  Lake  Hazen.  The  vegetation  was 
the  most  rank  I  have  seen  in  the  polar  regions.  Grass  in  con- 
siderable quantity  grew  at  the  margin  of  these  shallow  lakes  to 
the  height  of  eighteen  or  twenty  inches. 

The  heavy  loads,  and  the  rough  character  of  the  country  over 
which  we  travelled,  exhausted  us  about  ten  hours  after  leaving 
camp  No.  6,  during  which  time  we  had  marched  seventeen  miles. 
It  was  evident  that  Biederbick,  and  possibly  Lynn,  was  over- 
loaded. The  former,  ambitious  to  do  his  very  best,  sadly  over- 
taxed his  strength  during  the  day.  We  accordingly  made  camp 
No.  7  near  Lake  Hazen. 

Being  anxious  as  to  our  prospects,  I  walked  some  four  miles 
to  the  westward  to  the  summit  of  a  very  prominent  hill,  whence 
could  be  seen  a  break  in  the  low  hills  indicating  a  valley,  from 
which  issues  a  river  that  empties  into  the  northwest  end  of 
Lake  Hazen.  The  Garfield  Range  appeared  to  end  a  short  dis- 
tance to  the  westward,  there  being  seen  beyond  Mount  Whisler 


392  THEEE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

only  one  mountain,  of  considerable  less  elevation  (Mount 
Connell). 

During  this  side  trip  I  found  a  piece  of  untanned  reindeer- 
skin,  two  inches  by  one  inch  in  size,  with  a  piece  of  sinew  still 
attached  to  the  inner  side.  The  hair  was  firmly  attached  to  the 
skin,  and  the  whole  piece  was  in  an  excellent  state  of  preserva- 
tion. My  journal  says :  "  It  does  not  seein  to  me  that  it  could 
have  been  in  its  present  place  over  four  or  five  years.  One  of 
the  edges  seems  to  have  been  cut  with  a  knife.  There  was  no 
snow  in  the  valley  where  it  was  found." 

We  cached  at  camp  No.  7  a  day's  return  rations  and  all  our 
alcohol,  as  the  small  cooking-lamp  had  been  lost  since  leaving 
the  wagon,  and  so  lightened  our  load  about  twenty-three 
pounds.  We  readjusted  the  weights,  also,  as  far  as  practicable, 
Lynn  carrying  forty-seven  to  sixty-eight  pounds  and  Biederbick 
fifty-one  to  seventy-two  pounds,  there  being  a  package  of 
twenty-one  pounds  which  was  carried  by  them  alternately. 

We  came  to  another  river,  twenty-five  yards  wide  and  two 
feet  deep,  which  we  succeeded  in  crossing  near  the  lake,  where 
it  was  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide  and  so  shallow  that  the  water  did 
not  go  over  our  boot-tops.  Light  rain  commenced  shortly  after, 
and,  to  avoid  being  soaked,  we  rested  under  the  side  of  a  large 
rock  and  protected  ourselves  by  stretching  the  sleeping-bag  over 
our  shoulders  for  some  twenty  minutes.  Crossing  a  high,  rocky 
hill  we  came  to  a  broad  valley,  where  a  wide,  swift  river,  knee- 
deep,  flows  into  Lake  Hazen  from  the  south.  In  crossing  this 
river  we  were  wet  to  our  thighs  and  left  in  a  very  uncomfortable 
condition,  as  the  water  was  icy  cold. 

We  saw  shortly  afterward  a  herd  of  fourteen  musk-cattle, 
which  were  too  wild  to  be  easily  approached. 

Leaving  this  valley  we  reached  the  summit  of  a  broad,  high 
ridge,  some  four  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  Lake  Hazen. 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  393 

This  afforded  a  fine  view  of  a  second  valley  (Very  Valley),  which, 
though  two  or  three  miles  wide,  seemed  narrow  on  account  of 
the  lofty,  precipitous  hills  which  enclose  it. 

"We  descended  into  Very  Valley  with  great  difficulty,  ow- 
ing to  the  precipitous  sides,  and  made  camp  No.  8  near  the 
river  which  was  flowing  through  its  centre,  which  I  had  named 
Very  River.  I  camped  early,  after  eleven  miles'  march,  as 
Biederbick  showed  signs  of  illness  and  was  quite  worn  out  with 
his  heavy  load,  although  I  relieved  him  a  little  at  times.  He 
thought  that  if  we  rested  a  while  he  would  be  able  to  proceed. 
The  work  was  very  trying  on  Lynn  and  myself,  and  we  were 
but  little  less  exhausted  than  Biederbick. 

My  journal  says :  "  We  are  camped  about  two  hundred  yards 
south  of  Very  River — a  broad  stream  which  divides  into  many 
channels  opposite  us,  leaving  an  island  of  considerable  size 
which  I  have  named  Biederbick  Island.  About  four  hundred 
yards  up  the  river  from  the  camp  the  streams  flow  into  one 
channel,  which,  in  its  half  mile  of  width,  shows  no  break  or 
flats.  A  second  river  runs  parallel  to  it,  and  from  the  high 
cliffs  back  of  our  camp  was  seen  to  be  separated  from  Very 
River  for  six  or  seven  miles  by  a  narrow  ridge,  which  was 
some  three  hundred  feet  in  elevation.  This  second  river,  named 
Adams,  rises  to  the  northwestward,  and  evidently  drains  the 
country  in  that  quarter,  as  it  flows  through  a  break  between  the 
Garfield  Range  and  a  distant  range  of  mountains  to  the  west, 
which  I  have  called  Conger  Mountains.  This  unites  with  Very 
River  a  mile  or  more  to  the  westward  of  Lake  Hazen.  The 
valley  of  Very  River,  as  seen  from  here,  is  about  twelve  miles 
long  and  averages  one  and  a  half  miles  in  width.  While  the 
hills  southward  of  Very  River  are  but  three  hundred  feet  high, 
those  to  the  northward  of  Adams  River  rise  up  sharply  to  an 
elevation  of  a  thousand  feet  or  more.  Back  of  these  high  hills 


394  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

appears  the  Garfield  Range,  through  occasional  depressions  of 
which,  are  visible  the  hog-back  peaks  of  the  United  States  Moun- 
tains covered  with  eternal  snow  or  ice." 

Our  stay  at  camp  No.  8  was  very  uncomfortable,  as  occa- 
sional light  rain  fell  for  seven  hours,  which  saturated  us,  we 
having  no  protection  except  a  blanket  sleeping-bag  covered  with 
light  canvas.  I  delayed  until  6  P.M.,  hoping  for  latitude  and 
time  observations,  as  well  as  the  improvement  of  Biederbick, 
but  was  disappointed  in  all  respects.  I  finally  decided  to  send 
him  to  Conger,  and  proceed  with  Sergeant  Lynn. 

Biederbick  was  ordered  to  return  to  the  wagon,  where  he 
could  protect  himself  with  the  shelter-tent,  and  was  furnished 
with  a  fire-proof  tin  and  cup  for  cooking  utensils.  At  each 
cache  he  was  to  leave  a  note  of  his  condition.  "  I  feel  doubt- 
ful," says  my  journal,  "  about  permitting  him  to  return  alone, 
as  we  are  a  great  distance  from  the  home  station,  but  he  insists 
upon  his  ability  to  reach  it  safely,  and  begs  that  his  sickness 
may  not  interfere  with  the  success  of  my  journey." 

Just  as  I  was  leaving  the  camp  the  clouds  broke,  and  I  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  an  indifferent  set  of  time  observations.  While 
at  this  work  we  saw  five  birds,  which  I  examined  carefully 
through  a  glass,  as  did  Sergeant  Lynn.  We  decided  that  they 
were  of  the  plover  family,  and  were  not  golden  plover,  but 
from  the  rings  around  their  necks  we  concluded  they  were  the 
ringed  species.  Their  plumage  was  ashy  gray,  with  a  well- 
marked  white  band  around  the  neck,  and  I  should  have  con- 
sidered them  the  ringed-neck  plover,  Aegialitis  s&mipaJ/mata^ 
but  as  that  species  was  not  probable,  I  concluded  they  must 
be  Aegialitis  hiaticula. 

Starting  from  camp  No.  8,  Lynn  carried  sixty-four  pounds 
and  I  forty-seven,  which  gave  us  ten  days'  short  rations.  After 
an  hour's  travelling,  while  taking  bearings,  I  found  that  the 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  395 

fire-proof  cup  for  cooking  purposes  had  been  lost  by  me,  through 
the  strap  of  the  haversack  becoming  loose.  Sergeant  Lynn 
went  back  to  find  it,  and,  after  an  absence  of  nearly  two  hours, 
returned  unsuccessful.  He  found  on  the  way  a  nest  of  five 
small  eggs,  which  he  cached  for  our  return.  "We  supposed  them 
to  be  of  the  plovers  seen  by  us,  though  somewhat  doubtful  cf 
it,  as  they  seemed  too  large  for  so  small  a  bird,  being  over  an 
inch  long. 

"While  he  was  gone  I  collected  a  quantity  of  dry  willows,  with 
which  I  succeeded  in  drying  a  portion  of  my  wet  clothing. 

We  marched  but  nine  miles,  and  at  1  A.M.,  of  July  Tth,  we 
made  camp  No.  9  on  a  plateau  overlooking  Yery  River,  where 
we  were  driven  on  account  of  quite  heavy  rain  falling,  evidently 
the  western  edge  of  a  rain-storm  which  was  well  marked  toward 
Lake  Hazen.  While  camping  eight  musk-oxen  were  seen  on 
the  northwest  side  of  the  river. 

We  remained  in  our  bags  ten  hours,  getting  but  little  sleep, 
owing  to  our  clothing,  which  was  very  damp  and  in  places 
saturated.  Quitting  our  sleeping-bag,  and  ascertaining  that  our 
butter-can  was  fire-proof,  we  hunted  up  wood,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  had  a  warm  stew  of  pemmican. 

Cloudy  weather  interfered  with  satisfactory  circum-meridian 
observations  at  this  camp. 

At  noon  of  the  2d  we  travelled  along  the  valley  on  a  broad 
plateau,  which  was  about  half  way  between  Yery  River  and 
the  high,  precipitous  cliffs  to  the  southward.  An  hour's  march 
brought  us  to  a  point  where  a  fine  landscape  was  in  view.  My 
journal  says :  "  A  broad  canon-like  ravine  shows  up  to  the  north- 
eastward, through  which  flows  a  river  that  evidently  rises  in  the 
country  west  of  Mount  Whisler.  Through  the  low  space  of  the 
ravine  snow-clad  hills  and  mountains  show  up  beyond  Mount 
Whisler.  The  last  mountain  rises  sharply  above  the  high  cliffs 


396  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

to  the  northward  of  Very  River.  In  one  ravine  the  front  of  a 
large  glacier  was  visible  to  the  westward  of  Mount  Whisler." 
We  saw  here  five  herds  of  musk-cattle,  aggregating  thirty-one 
head,  one  herd  of  which  had  several  calves. 

A  few  miles  farther  the  valley  narrowed,  and  I  thought  it 
advisable  to  stop  for  tea,  as  we  had  taken  none  in  the  early 
morning,  and  the  character  of  the  country  appeared  about 
changing,  so  that  dead  willow  might  eventually  disappear. 
While  tea  was  being  made  I  walked  ahead  to  a  prominent 
point.  My  journal  says :  "  The  stones  are  very  sharp  and 
thick,  and  the  banks  of  the  river  very  precipitous.  In  one 
place  the  stream  comes  up  to  the  plateau,  and  a  fresh  landslide 
of  two  hundred  yards  has  recently  fallen  into  the  river,  which 
at  that  point  seems  very  deep.  At  the  point  reached  by  me 
the  stream  nearly  fills  the  valley,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width. 
The  river  flows  now  from  the  south,  much  to  my  disappoint- 
ment, and,  from  the  configuration  of  the  hills  and  country 
ahead,  it  seems  to  me  to  derive  its  source  from  a  second  lake 
like  Lake  Hazen.  Beyond  this  point  we  had  hoped  the  branch 
would  flow  from  the  south  and  the  main  stream  from  the  north- 
west. At  times  we  have  already  been  driven  to  precipitous 
hills,  and  again,  owing  to  their  steepness,  into  the  edge  of  the 
river  itself,  to  make  progress." 

Tea  over,  we  started  southward,  with  the  temperature  at  40° 
(4.4°  C.).  As  fog  had  set  in  we  were  unable  to  see  the  country 
to  the  westward.  A  short  distance  beyond  we  met  with  a  large 
tributary  coming  into  the  river  from  the  east,  a  rapidly  running 
stream  from  two  to  three  feet  deep.  We  followed  up  this  river 
for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  but  the  chances  of  crossing  did  not  im- 
prove, and  we  were  driven  to  ford  it,  which  was  done  with  dif- 
ficulty. The  current  was  so  strong,  and  the  bottom  so  rough, 
that  thrown  on  some  protruding  rocks,  I  was  not  only  soaked 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  397 

to  the  waist,  but  sprained  my  right  wrist  slightly.  Sergeant 
Lynn,  crossing  in  another  place,  escaped  with  few  bruises,  but 
was  soaked  to  the  thighs.  My  journal  says :  "  The  stream, 
from  its  gradient,  cannot  come  from  any  great  distance,  although 
the  volume  of  water  in  it  is  very  great." 

About  a  mile  beyond  this  tributary  we  came  to  a  place  where 
we  were  unable  to  follow  the  river,  owing  to  the  abrupt  char- 
acter of  the  banks,  and  to  proceed  farther  it  would  be  necessary 
to  scale  a  very  precipitous  hill.  The  fog  had  turned  to  rain, 
and  we  were  in  such  an  uncomfortable  and  wretched  condition 
that  I  concluded  it  would  be  best  to  make  camp  No.  10,  although 
we  had  travelled  less  than  eleven  miles. 

We  obtained  seven  hours'  unsatisfactory  rest  at  this  camp, 
and  after  a  luncheon  of  bread  and  pemmican,  washed  down  with 
ice-water,  cached  a  day's  provisions  for  our  return  journey  and 
started  onward.  My  sprained  wrist  pained  me  greatly,  scarcely 
permitted  me  to  make  notes,  and  interfered  seriously  with  my 
progress  over  the  crest  of  the  hill,  which  was  so  steep  that  it 
could  only  be  climbed  with  great  exertions. 

During  this  march  we  saw  a  ptarmigan  and  heard  a  snow- 
bird, the  last  birds  toward  the  interior. 

The  day's  travel  was  made  over  a  wretched  route,  as  the  river 
filled  the  whole  of  the  narrow  valley,  except  in  occasional  places 
where  rapid  tributaries  entered  the  main  stream.  Our  path- 
way lay  either  over  projecting  ledges  at  the  edge  of  the  river, 
or  along  steep  hills  of  loose,  broken  rocks  which  were  scarcely 
passable.  Several  tributaries  were  passed  during  the  day,  and 
at  the  junction  of  one  we  were  driven  by  rain  to  the  sleeping- 
bag  for  a  short  time. 

Six  hours'  travel  from  camp  No.  10  we  put  foot  on  the  first 
snow  found,  or  indeed  seen,  by  us,  except  on  very  high  hill-tops, 
since  leaving  Fort  Conger.  It  was  a  mass  of  ice  overlain  with 


398  THREE  YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

snow,  seemingly  the  beginning  of  a  small  glacier.  A  few  miles 
farther  the  country  was  more  open,  the  hills  became  lower,  and 
the  valley  widened.  Snow  in  considerable  quantities  was  now 
frequently  met  with,  and,  finding  a  comparatively  dry  spot  on  a 
high  plateau,  we  made  camp  No.  11,  after  over  eight  hours' 
march,  during  which  we  travelled  eighteen  miles.  I  was  just 
in  time  to  get  a  poor  set  of  circum-meridian  observations.  We 
were  much  exhausted  by  our  exertions,  as  we  had  travelled  at 
our  best  gait  despite  the  rough  road,  hoping  and  expecting 
hourly  to  reach  the  summit  of  Grinnell  Land. 

Frequent  rain,  which  in  some  places  froze  as  it  fell,  kept 
us  in  our  bag  for  seventeen  hours.  The  confinement,  while 
affording  us  considerable  rest,  was  very  severe,  owing  to  the 
low  temperature,  and  the  fact  that  sleeping-bag  and  clothing 
had  now  been  constantly  wet  for  three  days.  We  had  no  fuel 
with  which  to  warm  our  food,  but  as  it  was  the  4th  of  July,  we 
celebrated  the  day  by  a  half  gill  of  rum  and  lime-juice  com- 
bined, and  after  eating  a  piece  of  pemmican  and  hard  bread 
travelled  on,  caching  a  day's  provisions  for  our  return.  Before 
leaving  the  clouds  fortunately  broke,  and  I  was  able  to  obtain 
observations  for  magnetic  variation,  which  proved  to  be  114°  W. 

Crossing  another  tributary  we  found  the  main  river  largely 
reduced  in  size,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  country  covered 
with  wet  snow,  underlain  with  mud  and  water.  After  about 
three  hours'  travel,  having  reached  a  dry  spot  on  the  summit 
of  a  small  hill,  which  was  like  an  oasis  in  a  desert  of  snow,  we 
dropped  at  that  point  our  sleeping-bag,  and  everything  but 
glasses,  compass,  and  a  lunch,  and  started  to  ascend  a  high  moun- 
tain which  was  in  view  a  few  miles  to  the  southwest. 

We  found  the  walking  very  heavy,  the  snow  nearly  knee- 
deep,  with  water  half  a  foot  to  a  foot  deep  under  the  surface 
of  the  snow.  Occasionally  we  were  able  to  find  a  bare  spot 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  399 

of  ground  where  soft  mud  about  two  or  three  inches  deep  was 
equally  as  trying  as  the  snow. 

At  the  base  of  the  mountain,  which  I  named  Mount  C.  A. 
Arthur,  the  river  divided  into  two  large  brooks,  one  of  which 
sprang  from  a  deep  ravine  in  the  very  heart  of  the  mountain, 
and  the  other  from  a  narrow  valley  between  this  mountain  and 
Mount  Lynn  to  the  northward.  At  the  junction  of  these 
brooks,  which  was  reached  at  11  A.M.,  the  barometer  stood  at 
27.17.  After  two  hours'  steady  climbing,  I  reached  the  sum- 
mit of  the  mountain  in  a  thoroughly  worn-out  condition.  The 
barometer  stood  at  25.35,  indicating  an  ascent  of  over  eighteen 
hundred  feet,  and  an  elevation  above  the  sea  of  forty-five  hun- 
dred feet.* 

The  travelling  was  of  such  an  exhausting  character  that 
Sergeant  Lynn  was  unable  to  follow  me,  and  after  wading 
about  a  half  mile  in  snow  four  feet  deep,  underlain  with  water 
two  feet  deep,  he  was  so  worn  out  that  I  sent  him  back  to  the 
junction  of  the  brooks,  where  he  was  ordered  to  await  my  re- 
turn. In  my  tired  condition  I  could  never  have  reached  the 
top,  except  as  a  matter  of  honor  and  duty.  Frequently  I 
crawled  on  my  hands  and  knees  a  long  distance ;  at  one  time  as 
far  as  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  At  times  I  threw  the  glasses  ahead 
of  me,  so  as  to  make  it  certain  I  should  proceed.  When  about 
fifteen  hundred  feet  below  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  travel- 
ling improved,  as  the  underlying  water  disappeared. 

When  I  was  about  a  half  mile  from  the  top  farther  progress 

*  I  think  Mount  Arthur  the  highest  mountain  in  Grinnell  Land,  it  being  by 
barometrical  measurement  fifty  feet  above  the  highest  peak  of  the  Victoria 
Range  ascended  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood.  Mount  Grant  has  a  greater  height 
on  the  late  Admiralty  chart,  but  on  somewhat  doubtful  authority,  as  it  was 
never  visited ;  and  Nares,  on  his  original  map,  says,  "  estimated  height  about 
three  thousand  feet." 


400  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

seemed  impossible.  My  strength  failed  me,  my  sight  dimmed, 
and  my  throat  became  parched  and  thirst  intolerable,  while 
perspiration  poured  off  me  profusely.  I  revived  myself  by 
rest,  and  by  eating  snow,  a  doubtful  expedient  even  in  summer. 
After  that  I  could  walk  only  a  hundred,  and  later  fifty,  steps  at 
a  time,  but  finally  the  summit  was  reached. 

As  I  had  been  travelling  for  over  five  hours  with  my  boots 
filled  with  ice-water,  kept  at  the  lowest  temperature  by  the 
snow,  I  found,  on  reaching  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  that 
my  left  foot  had  lost  all  sense  of  feeling,  and  that  there  was  but 
little  sensation  in  my  right.  Knowing  the  danger  of  perishing 
by  freezing,  I  kept  moving  steadily,  as  that  was  my  only  safety. 

The  summit  of  the  mountain  was  a  level,  unbroken  expanse 
of  snow,  about  a  half  mile  in  diameter.  I  was  unable  to  get 
any  satisfactory  compass  bearings,  as  when  sitting  down  to  the 
compass  no  peak  could  be  seen  in  any  direction.  I  had  no 
snow-knife  or  other  instrument  with  which  to  erect  a  pedestal. 
I  attempted  to  take  bearings  standing,  but  all  were  unsatis- 
factory, and  in  consequence  I  located  everything  with  relation 
to  the  sun.  "When  within  nine  hundred  feet  of  the  top,  at  the 
base  of  the  main  cone,  the  surrounding  hills  were  so  high  that 
no  view  beyond  them  was  possible,  but  from  the  very  summit 
the  view  was  a  remarkable  and  extensive  one.  There  was  no 
doubt  of  my  being  on  the  crest  of  Grinnell  Land,  where  the 
farther  side  drained  to  the  western  Polar  Sea. 

My  journal  says  :  "  The  whole  country  seems  spread  out  be- 
fore me  as  on  a  map.  A  second  chain  of  mountains  (Conger 
Mountains)  is  seen  extending  to  the  westward  as  the  prolonga- 
tion of  the  Garfield  Range.  They  are  separated  by  a  break  of 
eight  or  ten  miles  from  Mount  Whisler,  which  is  the  most 
westerly  of  the  Garfield  Chain.  Northward  of  the  Conger  and 
Garfield  Ranges  are  a  confused  mass  of  hog-back  mountains,  all 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  401 

entirely  snow-clad,  which  I  include  in  the  designation  of  United 
States  Mountains.  The  valley  northward  of  Mount  Whisler 
extends  to  the  eastward  about  half  way  to  Henrietta  Kesmith 
glacier,  and  from  that  point  to  the  eastward  the  rest  of  the 
Garfield  Eange  is  crowded  closely  against  the  United  States 
Mountains,  evidently  being  the  only  obstacle  which  prevents 
the  glacial  ice-cap  from  overflowing  the  country  to  the  south- 
ward. The  overlapping,  rounded  tops  of  ice-clad  mountains 
can  be  distinguished  for  at  least  twenty  miles  to  the  northeast- 
ward beyond  the  Henrietta  JS'esmith  glacier,  which  must  be 
nearly  forty  miles  distant  itself. 

"  To  the  westward  the  valley  between  the  Conger  and  United 
States  Mountains  opens  out  or  widens  in  that  direction.  The 
mountains  themselves,  after  extending  a  great  distance,  trend 
gradually  to  the  northwestward,  probably  terminating  in  the 
Challenger  range  of  Aldrich. 

"  With  the  following  exceptions,  there  is  visible  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach,  say  fifty  miles,  only  low,  rounded  hills  inter- 
sected with  numerous  ravines,  which,  outside  of  a  radius  of  ten 
to  fifteen  miles  from  Mount  Arthur,  are  generally  bare  of  snow. 
By  low  hills  are  meant  those  from  fifteen  hundred  to  twenty- 
five  hundred  feet  high.  Did  not  the  country  in  all  directions 
resemble  to  the  eye  that  which  I  had  just  travelled  over  from 
Lake  Hazen,  I  might  think  it  a  plateau  country,  as  was  sup- 
posed by  Lieutenant  Archer.  The  most  important  exception  is 
from  the  west-southwest  to  southwest,  where  a  depression  in 
the  hills  discloses  a  range  of  partly  snow-clad  mountains,  dis- 
tant not  less  than,  and  perhaps  much  over,  seventy -five  miles.  I 
cannot  but  think  this  depression  drains  the  western  country 
into  a  channel  or  strait  between  the  near  hills  and  the  distant 
mountains,  and  that  the  range  is  situated  on  a  separate  land." 

The  north  and  south  ends  of  the  range  were  cut  off  from 
26 


402  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

view  by  the  hills,  but  it  can  not  in  any  way  be  joined  to  the 
Conger  Range.  Again,  due  southward  was  seen,  about  forty 
miles  distant,  a  prominent  mountain  rising  sharply  on  its  eastern 
point  and  showing  a  flat  top,  which  extended  westward  and 
gradually  (perhaps  from  perspective)  merged  into  the  low  hill. 

In  the  southeast  there  was  a  prominent  peak,  with  a  few  illy- 
defined  snow-clad  mountains,  evidently  the  western  slope  of  the 
Victoria  and  Albert  Range. 

Eastward  appeared  what  I  took  to  be  Mount  ^Neville,  of  Archer, 
while  the  very  top  of  a  slightly  lower  peak  to  its  north  was 
clearly  visible,  the  lower  part,  however,  covered  from  view  by 
a  pencil  or  low  bank  of  level  clouds,  which  seemed  to  lie  along 
Archer  Fiord  and  extend  a  great  distance  to  the  westward. 
This  low  line  of  clouds  was  doubtless  mist  rising  from  the  face 
of  the  southern  ice-cap,  similar  to  the  veil  of  mist  seen  a  few 
days  later  in  front  of  Henrietta  Nesmith  glacier.  Its  presence 
prevented  my  discovering  this  ice-cap,  which  was  so  successfully 
traced  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood  the  following  year.  Except  this 
low-lying  cloud,  the  air  was  very  clear,  in  the  condition  known 
to  meteorologists  as  visibility. 

It  was  evident  to  me  that  no  sea  could  be  reached  that  trip, 
and  that  farther  travel  would  add  nothing  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  country,  as  we  could  hardly  hope  to  proceed  farther  than 
twenty  miles  at  the  most. 

During  the  twenty  minutes  I  was  on  the  summit  a  cold  north- 
west wind  sprang  up,  which  chilled  me  through  and  warned  me 
to  leave.  Constant  movement  was  necessary  to  prevent  me 
from  freezing,  and,  as  it  was,  my  damp  clothing  was  covered 
with  thick  hoar-frost  in  a  few  moments. 

I  had  ascended  the  southeast  side  of  the  mountain,  where  the 
gradient  was  easiest,  but  I  decided  to  descend  on  the  north  side 
by  a  direct  route  toward  Mount  Lynn.  Near  the  base  of  the 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  403 

mountain  I  found  a  remarkable  line  of  almost  vertical  snow- 
banks and  drifts,  the  front  of  which  ranged  from  a  hundred  to 
a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height.  Being  worn  out  with  fatigue 
and  cold,  and  to  save  a  long  detour,  I  concluded  to  chance  a 
bad  fall  by  descending  the  drifts,  and  so  slid  down  at  a  place 
a  hundred  feet  high,  fortunately  landing  in  deep,  soft  snow. 

The  first  bare  ground  reached  was  about  nine  hundred  feet 
below  the  summit,  the  barometer  reading  26.05,  which  made  the 
snow-line  about  thirty-eight  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  Xo  earth  capable  of  vegetation  was  seen  on  any  part 
of  the  mountain  or  at  its  base,  although  on  the  southern  side  of 
Mount  Lynn  lichens  and  purple  saxifrage  (Saxifraga  opposi- 
tifolia)  were  seen. 

I  rejoined  Sergeant  Lynn  at  2.20  P.M.,  and  my  left  foot, 
without  sensation  for  a  couple  of  hours,  was  vigorously  treated 
by  Lynn  until  the  circulation  and  sensation  returned. 

Our  flag  was  displayed  from  the  summit  of  Mount  Arthur, 
but  as  the  rum  and  lime-juice  were  carried  by  Lynn,  we  were 
obliged  to  drink  the  health  of  the  President,  Our  Country,  and 
the  Day  at  the  base  of  the  mountain  instead  of  on  the  summit, 
as  we  had  planned.  A  small  cairn  was  erected  on  the  side  of 
Mount  Lynn,  about  forty  yards  above  the  junction  of  the 
creeks,  and  carefully  inserted  in  one  of  my  shoulder-straps  was 
left  a  brief  record  of  our  visit  to  the  mountain. 

We  reached  the  camp  quitted  that  morning,  after  twelve  hours' 
absence,  exceedingly  fatigued  by  twenty  miles'  travel  and  very 
uncomfortable  with  wet  clothing  and  cold  feet.  I  succeeded  in 
obtaining  a  set  of  equal  altitudes  that  evening  and  the  following 
morning,  which,  with  the  latitude  obtained  near  the  camp, 
satisfactorily  determined  our  position. 

I  desired  to  examine  the  country  to  the  eastward  before  re- 
turning to  Fort  Conger,  but  the  condition  of  our  foot-gear  pre- 


404  THREE  YEABS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

eluded  this  work.  Lynn's  boots  were  in  a  very  dilapidated 
condition,  and  my  own  were  but  little  better,  so,  after  a  few 
hours'  sleep,  we  turned  our  faces  toward  home.  Two  hours' 
travel  carried  us  beyond  the  last  snow,  where  tracks  and  traces 
of  musk-cattle  were  observed,  one  calf  being  among  the  num- 
ber, and  near  by  the  first  live  willows  were  seen.  This 
proves  that  the  musk-ox  crosses  at  times  to  the  western  shore  of 
Grinnell  Land,  even  if  he  has  not  migrated  to  Greenland  from 
the  Parry  Islands  by  way  of  the  western  instead  of  the  southern 
shores  of  Grinnell  Land.  Many  butterflies  were  observed  during 
the  day.  At  one  point  we  were  delighted  by  the  sight  of  four 
beautiful  snow-clad  peaks,  visible  to  the  northwestward  through 
a  break  in  the  low  hills.  A  snow-bunting  was  also  heard,  the 
only  species  of  bird  found  until  Lake  Hazen  was  again  reached. 

After  nine  hours'  steady  and  rapid  travel  we  made  camp  No. 
13,  "  having  travelled  about  twenty-two  miles  over  an  exceed- 
ingly rough  road.  Our  very  light  loads  have  enabled  us  to  pass 
by  routes  impracticable  with  heavy  packs.  What  is  left  of  our 
boots  has  hardened  through  alternate  soaking  and  drying  until 
they  are  like  cast-iron.  Lynn's  ankles  are  very  badly  galled  ; 
iny  own  less  so.  We  are  now  camped  opposite  a  large  tributary 
of  the  Very  River,  which  was  not  seen  by  us  on  our  outward 
trip,  owing  to  fog  veiling  it  as  we  passed.  It  flows  from  the 
westward,  and  has  been  temporarily  named  W.  H.  Lewis  River. 
Through  its  broad  valley  a  number  of  partly  snow-covered 
mountains  are  visible.  We  are  now  enjoying  a  bright  sun, 
which,  for  the  first  time  in  five  days,  permits  us  to  dry  our  cloth- 
ing. We  are  also  eating  our  first  warm  food  in  four  days. 

';  After  taking  a  set  of  time  observations  we  had  dinner,  and 
since  then  have  devoted  some  time  to  repairing  our  clothing, 
which  is  badly  torn.  I  visited  the  river-side  a  short  time  since, 
with  a  vague  idea  of  crossing  and  examining  the  opposite  valley, 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  405 

but  Very  Kiver  was  so  deep  and  swift  that  I  dared  not  venture 
into  it.  It  was  perhaps  as  well  we  could  not  cross,  as  our  boots 
are  now  worn  so  thin  that  the  stones  seriously  bruise  our  feet. 

"  I  am  much  surprised  at  the  large  amount  and  the  luxuriant 
character  of  the  vegetation  in  this  valley.  There  are  extensive 
patches  of  thriving  green  willow,  which  cover  the  ground  for 
hundreds  of  square  yards.  In  other  places  saxifrages,  dryas, 
Arctic  poppies,  and  bunch-grass  are  equally  abundant.  Dead 
willow  is  to  be  found  in  large  quantities,  some  of  which  is  two 
inches  thick  at  the  base. 

"  The  steep  cliffs  on  the  western  side  of  Very  River  are  shaded 
in  various  tinges  of  green,  which,  well  marked,  prove  the  exist- 
ence of  willows  or  luxuriant  mosses  on  the  shoulders  of  their 
sharp  slopes. 

"We  are  now  stretched  out  on  a  spot  of  dry  sand,  with  bright 
sun,  no  wind,  the  temperature  about  50°  (10°  C.),  plenty  of 
grass  and  water,  and  a  bright  fire  before  us.  The  green  hills, 
fertile  valley,  and  mountains  devoid  of  snow,  except  upon  their 
very  summits,  rather  impress  me  with  a  feeling  that  I  am 
camping  in  one  of  our  "Western  Territories,  and  not  in  latitude 
81°  30'.  K" 

On  July  6th  we  travelled  steadily  for  over  nine  hours,  and 
succeeded  in  covering  the  same  distance  as  was  made  in  two  of 
our  outward  marches.  Our  camp  was  made  very  near  camp 
No.  7.  We  passed  an  unsatisfactory  night,  however,  as  we  had 
necessarily  wet  our  lower  clothing  in  fording  the  many  streams, 
and  a  high  cold  gale  blew  all  night.  I  was  so  worn  out  and  un- 
comfortable that  I  slept  only  while  breakfast  was  being  cooked, 
perhaps  three-fourths  of  an  hour. 

From  our  camp  the  Henrietta  Nesrnith  glacier  presented  a 
beautiful  appearance.  It  was  concealed  from  view  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  by  a  veil  of  rising  vapor,  which,  driven  by  the 


406  THREE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

high  wind  eastward,  allowed  the  ice  to  show  up  most  pictu- 
resquely through  the  torn  rifts  of  the  forming  cloud. 

July  7th  we  passed  the  abandoned  wagon,  where  a  note  from 
Biederbick  reported  his  arrival  and  departure  in  fair  condition. 
We  took  what  was  possible  from  the  wagon,  and  in  twelve 
hours,  by  taking  all  short  cuts  possible,  reached  the  junction  of 
Ruggles  River  and  Lake  Hazen.  We  travelled  a  steady  gait  up 
hill  and  down,  over  bad  road  or  good,  determined  to  take  no  rest 
until  we  should  retrace  the  distance  travelled  in  two  days'  out- 
ward journey. 

On  reaching  that  river  I  found  it  had  risen  considerably  since 
we  went  west,  and  now  was  of  such  a  depth,  with  so  swift  a  cur- 
rent, that  it  was  not  pleasant  to  think  of  fording  it. 

During  the  day  Lynn  had  carried  seventy  pounds'  weight, 
and  I  about  sixty-five.  My  zeal  for  science  was  sadly  tried  this 
day  by  a  patent  plant-press,  in  which  were  carried  botanical  speci- 
mens. In  whatever  conceivable  manner  I  arranged  the  press,  it 
speedily  admonished  me  that  it  would  carry  easier  in  any  other 
position.  I  once  turned  it  over  to  Lynn,  and  took  in  its  place 
five  times  its  weight,  but,  after  watching  his  despair  for  several 
miles,  received  it  back,  and  did  penance  the  rest  of  the  march. 
At  the  end  of  the  day,  sad  and  bruised,  I  took  out  the  plants 
and  laid  the  press  carefully  on  a  boulder,  where  it  probably 
remains  to  this  day. 

Of  the  relics  at  Ruggles  River,  Salor  and  Whisler  had  been 
ordered  to  take  as  many  back  to  Conger  as  they  could  carry. 
We  found  remaining  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hun- 
dred pounds'  weight,  which,  unfortunately,  was  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  river.  Stripping  off  our  lower  clothing  and  taking 
about  a  hundred  pounds'  weight,  I  entered  the  river  first,  find- 
ing the  current  so  strong,  that  if  I  had  not  been  weighted  down 
I  could  scarcely  have  crossed.  The  water  reached  my  hips,  and 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  407 

was  at  a  temperature  of  32.6°  (0.3°  C),  just  above  freezing.  I 
had  intended  recrossing  the  river  to  bring  over  the  balance  of 
the  relics,  but  I  was  unwilling  to  venture  back  into  such  water 
and  strong  current  in  the  face  of  a  southwest  gale,  and  was 
equally  disinclined  to  expose  Lynn  to  danger  and  discomfort. 
I  ordered  him  to  secure,  on  a  high  spot  of  land,  all  the  relics 
he  could  not  carry  in  one  load,  and  to  cross  with  the  rest.  In 
consequence  we  left  two  runners  (one  of  which,  of  heavy  conif- 
erous wood,  was  about  six  feet  long,  eight  inches  high,  and  two 
and  a  half  inches  thick),  two  poles,  a  reindeer  antler,  and  sev- 
eral worked  pieces  of  pine  wood. 

We  got,  at  the  earliest  moment,  into  our  sleeping-bag  where 
we  passed  a  bad  night,  getting  but  little  rest  and  less  sleep. 
Our  wet  clothing,  the  low  temperature,  and  high  wind  made  us 
wretchedly  cold  and  uncomfortable.  To  add  to  our  discomfort, 
occasionally  dashes  of  rain  wet  our  sleeping-bag  and  prevented 
our  clothing  from  drying  out. 

I  decided  to  abandon  all  unnecessary  food  and  other  articles 
at  Ruggles  River,  in  order  to  carry  to  Conger,  a  hundred  miles 
distant,  the  relics  we  had  found.  We  started  about  1  A.M.,  July 
8th,  heavily  laden  with  whalebone,  etc.  At  times  the  route 
along  the  lake-shore  was  so  winding  that  we  travelled  inland  to 
shorten  the  distance,  and,  in  so  doing,  discovered  several  consid- 
erable lakes  about  a  mile  to  the  south,  which  drain  into  Lake 
Hazen  through  small  brooks.  During  the  day  several  musk-cattle 
and  ducks  were  seen,  and  a  young  turnstone  was  caught  by  me. 

The  day's  work  was  a  very  hard  one,  as  each  of  us  was  carry- 
ing between  sixty  and  seventy  pounds,  and  the  country  passed 
over  was  quite  rough  in  places.  Rain  fell  occasionally  during 
the 'march,  wetting  our  clothing  sufficiently  to  chill  us  thor- 
oughly when  clearing  weather  and  strong  wind  followed. 

Several  of  the  small  valleys,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  discovered 


408  THREE   TEAKS   OF  AECTIC   SERVICE. 

lakes,  were  filled  with  luxuriant  vegetation,  among  which  fre- 
quent large  beds  of  heather,  with  their  delicate  white  flowers, 
were  particularly  noticeable.  This  species  was  seen  in  no  other 
portion  of  the  country,  except  in  a  favorable  spot  on  Bellot 
Island. 

At  one  point,  I  found  convincing  evidence  as  to  the  formation 
of  the  ridges  of  gravel  which  had  puzzled  me  in  my  discoveries 
the  preceding  spring:  The  main  ice  of  the  lake  had  been 
forced  by  a  high  northeast  wind  against  the  shore,  and  masses 
of  broken  ice,  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  high,  had  been  pushed 
up  on  the  shelving  beach,  forcing  a  ridge  of  gravel  before  it. 

Nearly  ten  hours'  travel  brought  us  to  the  river  which  drained 
the  chain  of  lakes  into  Lake  Hazen,  and  there  we  camped  on 
the  farther  side,  so  worn  out  by  previous  hardships,  that  we  had 
made  but  a  little  greater  distance  than  on  a  single  outward 
march.  In  crossing  the  stream  we  were  wet  to  our  hips,  and 
went  to  our  bags  in  a  wretched  condition,  having  barely  enough 
fuel  to  warm  our  tea.  The  weather  had  been  so  bad,  that  in 
eight  days  we  had  dry  clothing  but  once,  and  our  camps  were 
now  situated  so  that  we  were  obliged  to  ford  streams  and  wet 
our  clothing  anew  just  at  the  end  of  each  march.  The  tem- 
perature of  the  river  was  33°  (0.6°  C.). 

From  a  high  hill,  adjacent  to  camp,  I  examined  carefully  the 
country  to  the  eastward  of  Lake  Hazen,  which  was  plainly  vis- 
ible. I  had  intended,  in  returning,  to  explore  in  that  direc- 
tion, but  our  boots  were  now  in  such  a  plight  that  it  was  doubt- 
ful if  they  would  hold  together  until  we  reached  Conger.  The 
east  end  of  the  lake  was  about  six  miles  distant,  and  had  a  regu- 
larly defined  coast-line,  which  could  hardly  have  concealed  by 
its  contours  any  moderately-sized  arm  of  the  lake. 

"It  is  therefore  evident,"  says  my  field  journal,  "that  Ben- 
der must  have  discovered  new  lakes,  which  he  mistook  for  the 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  409 

extension  of  Lake  Ilazen.  The  country  east  of  Lake  Hazen 
slopes  gradually  to  a  high  ridge,  beyond  which  is  a  break  which 
I  now  take  to  be  the  Bellows,  but  which  may  be  an  intervening 
valley  containing  the  lakes  and  glaciers  referred  to  by  Bender. 
A  small  stream,  which  escaped  our  observation  when  going 
west,  now  shows  up  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  lake. 

"  I  am  extremely  puzzled  to  understand  how  Gilman  glacier 
and  its  neighbor  to  the  east  discharge  their  surplus  water.  A 
well-marked  line  of  low  hills,  at  least  two  hundred  feet  in 
height,  cuts  them  off  from  Lake  Ilazen,  but  I  scanned  with  the 
telescope  the  entire  range  in  vain,  for  anything  looking  like  a 
break.  The  hills  were  but  seven  to  nine  miles  distant,  and  the 
telescope  an  excellent  one.  Lynn  used  the  glass  with  the  same 
result.  It  is  evident  the  glaciers  must  discharge  into  the  lake 
in  some  way.  It  is  possible  they  feed  lakes  lying  among  the 
hills,  and  that  they  may  be  those  seen  by  Bender." 

On  the  evening  of  July  8th  we  left  the  sleeping-bag  but  little 
refreshed  by  our  sleep,  which  had  been  frequently  broken  by 
our  cold  and  comfortless  condition.  We  took  but  a  portion  of 
the  food,  and  started  on  without  waiting  for  tea,  eating  as  we 
went.  Travelled  in  a  straight  line  for  the  head  of  Black  Rock 
Yale,  in  doing  which  two  new  lakes  were  discovered  by  us,  both 
of  considerable  size,  with  much  ice  in  the  centre. 

After  five  hours'  travelling  we  reached  a  broad  sloping  val- 
ley, well  covered  with  vegetation,  through  which  a  small  brook 
of  gentle  gradient  drained  into  Black  Rock  Vale.  Fuel  being 
found,  we  stopped  for  tea.  While  at  this  camp  we  endeavored, 
without  success,  to  catch  a  half -fledged  duckling,  whose  mother 
could  not  be  seen,  and  observed  a  large  burgomaster  gull  fly- 
ing toward  Lake  Hazen. 

The  broad  valley,  as  we  travelled  on,  narrowed  into  a  small 
ravine  with  such  precipitous  sides  and  rocky  bottom  that  we 


410  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

could  scarcely  travel  through  it.  This  canon  was  a  short  one, 
and  led  us  into  Black  Rock  Vale  at  a  point  just  above  camp 
No.  2,  which  was  reached  after  ten  hours'  wearisome  travel. 

Just  before  reaching  this  camp  a  number  of  places  were 
passed  which  evidently  had  served  as  sites  for  summer  encamp- 
ments for  the  Eskimos.  We  were  in  too  exhausted  a  condition 
to  make  more  than  a  cursory  examination,  but  I  noted  that 
there  were  about  a  dozen  circles  along  our  immediate  route. 

After  three  hours'  rest,  without. sleep,  in  our  bag  at  camp  No. 
IT,  we  decided  to  start  for  the  depot  in  Basil  Norris  Bay,  as 
the  weather  became  very  threatening.  On  leaving,  we  aban- 
doned sleeping-bag,  beef,  hard  bread,  and  hatchet,  placing  them 
in  a  cairn.  When  we  reached  the  centre  of  Lake  Heintzel- 
man,  camp  No.  1,  we  were  so  worn  out  that  we  were  obliged 
to  stop  and  lunch  on  the  stores  there  deposited.  My  journal 
says :  "  Our  feet  are  in  very  bad  condition,  as  our  boots  are 
almost  in  pieces.  Each  sharp  stone  bruises  and  hurts  my 
feet.  Lynn's  have  been  in  a  similar  condition  for  several 
days,  and  he  has  suffered  much  more  than  I  from  this  cause. 
One  of  his  boots  has  only  a  part  of  the  inner  sole  left,  and 
he  has  to  choose  his  ground  carefully.  His  ankles  are  very 
badly  chafed,  and  I  am  certain  that  every  step  for  several  days 
must  have  caused  him  pain.  lie  has  never  complained,  nor 
even  intimated  that  he  was  tired  and  would  like  to  camp  early. 
His  cheerful  spirit  and  endurance  are  extraordinary." 

During  this  march  a  violent  dust-storm  drove  us  to  shelter 
under  a  high  bank.  The  wind  was  from  the  southeast  and  of 
a  most  violent  character,  and  blew  in  such  gusts  that  at  times 
we  could  make  no  headway  against  it.  A  good  lunch  refreshed 
us,  but,  in  order  to  reach  Discovery  Bay,  we  dropped  every- 
thing except  our  Eskimo  relics  and  scientific  instruments.  As 
we  neared  the  junction  of  our  valley  and  the  Bellows,  the  wind^ 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  411 

which  had  lulled,  recommenced  blowing  in  a  violent  manner, 
and  the  previously  high  temperature  gave  place  to  a  falling  one. 

"We  reached  the  mouth  of  Black  Rock  Vale  in  eight  hours' 
travelling,  but  were  disappointed  to  find  the  river  so  high  and 
the.  current  so  swift  as  to  be  apparently  impassable.  There  was 
cached  at  that  point  certain  Eskimo  relics  and  other  articles, 
from  which  it  was  evident  to  us  that  Salor  and  Whisler  had 
been  compelled  to  retrace  their  steps  up  the  valley  and  pass 
around  Lake  Heintzelman,  a  detour  of  fifteen  miles. 

The  stream  seemed  so  dangerous  that  I  concluded  to  try  the 
Bellows,  and  see  if  that  river  could  be  forded  a  mile  or  two  up 
the  valley.  If  so,  we  could  take  a  straight  line  for  Conger 
across  the  mountains,  by  way  of  Lake  Alexandra.  We  left 
everything  but  my  sextant  and  a  lunch,  and  started  up  the  Bel- 
lows ;  but,  after  an  hour's  travel,  the  river  was  yet  so  broad 
and  deep,  with  a  muddy  bottom,  as  to  render  its  crossing  dan- 
gerous. We  then  returned  to  the  river  in  Black  Rock  Yale. 
On  reaching  its  banks  we  were  utterly  exhausted  by  our  long 
inarch,  as  we  had  travelled  continuously  twenty-one  out  of  the 
preceding  twenty-four  hours,  and  had  slept  but  a  few  hours  for 
three  days.  We  were  also  chilled  by  the  high  southeast  gale 
and  low  temperatures,  and  were  obliged  to  lie  down  under  a  bit 
of  sheltering  ground,  where  we  were  protected  from  the  wind, 
for  ten  minutes'  rest,  to  recuperate  our  strength  before  we  made 
the  attempt  to  cross  the  roaring  torrent. 

Stripping  off  our  boots  and  socks  so  as  to  have  dry  foot-gear 
after  crossing,  Lynn  ventured  first  into  the  stream,  and  had 
gone  but  two  or  three  paces  when  he  plunged  in  up  to  his 
shoulders,  and  in  a  second  more  completely  disappeared,  over- 
come by  the  strength  of  the  current.  I  ran  down  the  bank  a 
few  yards,  expecting  to  plunge  in  and  rescue  him,  but  he  scram- 
bled out,  fortunately  on  the  opposite  side.  He  presented  such 


412  THKEE  YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

a  forlorn  and  utterly  comical  appearance  that  I  could  not  help 
laughing  at  him,  although  an  instant  before  I  had  been  appre- 
hensive for  his  safety,  and  knew  that  a  similar  experience  was 
in  store  for  me.  I  ventured  very  carefully  into  the  water  in 
another  place,  and  by  extreme  caution  succeeded  in  keeping  my 
feet  until  I  reached  a  point  where  Lynn  was  able  to  give  me  a 
hand  and  help  me  out.  I  was  soaked  to  my  breast,  and  had 
been  obliged  to  hold  my  chronometer  and  field-book  above  my 
head  to  insure  their  safety. 

We  stopped  long  enough  to  put  on  our  socks,  and  started  at 
our  best  gait  for  the  depot.  The  wind  was  blowing  some  thirty 
miles  an  hour,  and  the  temperature  was  about  339  (0.6°  C.), 
just  above  the  freezing-point.  I  wras  so  chilled  and  benumbed 
that  I  had  to  resort  to  running  to  keep  life  in  me,  but  I  found 
myself  too  exhausted  to  continue  it.  I  then  tried  running 
slowly  for  a  hundred  paces,  alternating  by  walking  an  equal 
distance.  A  mile  of  this  experience  reduced  me  to  a  slow, 
feeble  walk.  Lynn  was  so  exhausted  and  worn  out  that  I 
feared  he  might  fall  by  the  way,  as  he  had  to  stop  and  sit 
down  every  hundred  yards.  I  kept  on  at  my  best  gait  to  reach 
the  depot,  so  as  to  have  sleeping-bag  and  warm  drink  ready  for 
him  on  his  arrival,  or  to  bring  it  to  him  if  he  should  fail. 

I  reached  the  depot  at  11  P.M.,  of  July  9th,  after  twenty-seven 
hours'  travelling,  so  exhausted  that  I  was  scarcely  able  to  stand. 
In  five  minutes'  time,  however,  the  alcohol-lamp  was  heating  a 
pot  of  water,  and  near  it  stood  butter,  baked  beans,  hard  bread, 
with  coffee  and  milk,  ready  for  the  boiling  water.  I  dragged 
out  the  sleeping-bag,  and,  putting  it  near  the  lamp,  went  out  to 
watch  for  Lynn,  who  was  coming  along  slowly.  Learning  that 
he  was  yet  able-  to  walk,  I  stripped  off  my  wet'  clothing,  and 
when  he  arrived,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later,  I  was  in  the  bag, 
with  a  hot  supper  ready  for  him. 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  413 

On  July  10th  we  started  for  Fort  Conger,  the  weather  being 
cloudy,  cold,  and  raw,  with  a  northwest  wind.  To  our  dismay 
Basil  Norris  Bay  was  entirely  open,  and  we  were  very  uneasy 
until  two  hours'  travelling  brought  us  to  a  point  where  we  were 
able  to  cross  on  the  floe-ice  directly  to  French  Cape,  wading 
through  many  water-pools  on  the  way.  From  that  point  to 
Musk-ox  Bay  we  followed  the  shore  or  ice-foot  as  opportunity 
offered.  The  rotten  ice  frequently  broke,  and  the  muddy  shore, 
lined  with  stranded  ice,  afforded  the  worst  of  travel.  Our  lower 
extremities  were  soon  wet,  and  a  drizzling  rain  saturated  the 
rest  of  our  clothing.  On  arriving  at  Musk-ox  Bay  we  found  it 
open,  and,  to  avoid  a  long  detour  inward,  struck  out  on  the 
harbor-floe,  which  we  found  to  be  in  a  wretchedly  rotten  and 
unsafe  condition.  We  were  obliged  to  travel  nearly  half  way 
to  Bellot  Island  before  we  rounded  the  bay,  and  frequently  were 
forced  to  wade  through  ice-cold  water  to  the  depth  of  our 
thighs,  and  cross  many  unsafe  floes.  With  great  difficulty,  and 
after  encountering  serious  perils,  we  reached  the  northeast  point 
of  Musk-ox  Bay,  where  snow-squalls  and  bad  weather  rendered 
our  travel  uncomfortable  until  our  arrival  at  Conger. 

The  outward  journey  entailed  one  hundred  and  eighty-two 
miles'  travel,  and  the  homeward  ten  miles  less — an  aggregate  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty-two  miles  in  nineteen  marches.  This 
average  of  seventeen  and  a  half  miles  to  a  march  may  seem 
small  to  those  who  have  vague  ideas  as  to  the  rough,  rugged 
character  of  the  country  over  which  we  journeyed. 

Though  Sergeant  Lynn  was  a  man  of  fine  physique  and  iron 
endurance,  yet  my  journal  shows  we  were  in  such  an  exhausted 
condition  on  our  return  that  it  was  many  days  before  either  of 
us  could  do  active  work.  Lynn's  feet  were  greatly  swollen  and 
badly  bruised,  and  his  ankles  were  so  deeply  galled  that  it  was 
a  month  before  the  sores  healed.  He  afterward  acknowledged 


414  THKEE  YEAES   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

that  his  feet  had  pained  him  excessively  during  the  last  three 
days  of  our  trip.  My  own  sufferings  came  later,  for,  two  days 
after  our  return,  when  I  expected  to  be  quite  well,  my  feet 
swelled,  and  the  muscles  of  the  ankles  and  feet  became  stiff, 
tense,  and  sore,  and  remained  so  for  many  days. 

This  July  journey  was  a  continuation  of  my  explorations  in 
April,  and  the  results  were : 

1.  The  satisfactory,  if  not  complete,  determination  of  the  ex- 
tent of  Xorth  Grin n ell  Land. 

2.  The  outlining  of  the  extraordinary  and  previously  unsus- 
pected physical  conditions  of  the  interior  of  that  country. 

3.  The  discovery  of  numerous  valleys  covered  with  compara- 
tively luxuriant  vegetation,  which  afford  sufficient  pasturage  for 
large  numbers  of  musk-oxen. 

The  area  of  newly  discovered  land  which  fell  under  my  ob- 
servation was  not  far  from  five  thousand  square  miles,  of  which 
over  one-half  was  determined  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  enable 
me  to  pass  positively  on  its  physical  geography.  This  area 
closely  coincides  with  that  of  the  entire  land  discoveries  of  the 
British  expedition  of  1875-76. 

The  question  of  the  physical  geography  of  the  interior  of 
Grinnell  Land  was  set  at  rest,  and,  inferentially,  in  connection 
with  Nordenskj  old's  discoveries,  that  of  Greenland.  My  dis- 
coveries accord  closely,  though  not  entirely,  with  the  very  acute 
opinions  advanced  by  Sir  Joseph  Hooker.  The  intimate  rela- 
tions between  the  physical  sciences  is  forcibly  illustrated  by 
this  ability  of  a  highly  trained  and  accomplished  specialist  to 
state  from  a  handful  of  plants  the  insularity  or  continental  con- 
figuration of  a  land  and  its  physical  condition. 

Hooker,  in  treating  of  the  flora  of  Grinnell  Land,  said  in 
1877 :  "  These  facts  seem  to  indicate  that  vegetation  may  be 
more  abundant  in  the  interior  of  Greenland  than  is  supposed, 


SUMMER  EXPLORATIONS.  415 

and  that  the  glacier-bound  coast-ranges  of  that  country  may 
protect  a  comparatively  fertile  interior.  .  .  .  We  are  almost 
driven  to  conclude  that  Grinnell  Land,  as  well  as  Greenland, 
are,  instead  of  ice-capped,  merely  ice-girt  islands." 

Nordenskjold  also  believed  that  comparatively  fertile  valleys 
might  be  found  in  the  interior  of  Greenland,  and  sought  for 
them  nearly  seven  hundred  miles  south  of  the  point  where 
I  discovered  them  in  Grinnell  Land. 

His  failure  to  find  such  resulted  from  the  unexpected  oro- 
graphical  features  of  the  country,  the  surface  resembling  an  in- 
verted saucer,  a  nearly  level  top  with  a  very  gradual  slope  to 
the  sides.  The  whole  ice-cap  question  turns  on  this  point,  which 
explains  the  reason  the  borders  of  Grinnell  Land  and  its  fertile 
belt  are  free  from  inland  ice:  this  fertile  belt,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  long  and  forty  wide,  extends  from  Robeson  and 
Kennedy  Channels  to  Greely  Fiord  and  the  western  Polar 
Ocean.  Its  iceless  condition  depends  entirely  on  its  physical  con- 
figurations. The  abrupt,  broken  character  of  the  country  makes 
it  impossible  for  the  winter's  scanty  snow  to  cover  it.  Long, 
narrow,  and  numerous  valleys  not  only  offer  the  greatest  amount 
of  bare  soil  at  favorable  angles  to  the  heating  rays  of  the  con- 
stant summer  sun,  but  also  serve  as  natural  beds,  with  steep 
gradients,  for  the  torrents  from  melting  snows.  The  summer 
rivers  drain  rapidly  the  surplus  water,  and  long  before  autumn 
and  sharply  freezing  weather  come,  the  land  is  generally  free 
from  snow,  and  the  large  rivers  have  dwindled  to  brooks.  The 
deep  intersecting  fiords  not  only  receive  the  discharging  rivers, 
but,  from  their  frozen  surfaces,  furnish  large  quantities  of 
saline  efflorescence,  which  mixing  with  the  land-snow  facilitates 
greatly  its  disappearance  in  the  coming  spring. 

Where  such  conditions,  as  above  enumerated,  do  not  prevail  in 
Grinnell  Land,  ice-caps  are  found  similar  to  the  inland  ice  of 


416  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Greenland,  traversed  by  Nordenskiold.  The  Garfield  Range 
cutting  off  the  snows  of  the  United  States  Mountains  from 
draining  into  Lake  Hazen,  an  ice-cap  exists  there  probably  not 
far  from  three  thousand  miles  in  area.  There  is  but  little 
doubt  the  Challenger  Mountains  bound  this  ice-cap  to  the  north- 
west, and  that  its  northern  face  drains  through  Clements  Mark- 
ham  Inlet  and  the  many  ravines  which  Aldrich  speaks  of  as 
running  far  inland  from  the  bays  on  the  shores  of  the  Polar  Sea. 

Similarly  the  mer  de  glace  Agassiz  covers  the  country  to  the 
westward  of  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Range,  and  its  northern 
limit  coincides  with  the  commencement  of  a  country  where 
favoring  valleys  and  fiords  drain  its  melting  ice.  I  have  no 
doubt  this  southern  glacial  ice-cap  covers  many  thousand  square 
miles,  and  that  its  offshoots,  besides  the  glaciers  of  Rawlings, 
Dobbin,  Allman,  and  Franklin  Pierce  Bays,  are  to  be  found  at 
the  head  of  every  considerable  brook,  or  its  connecting  valley, 
in  Kennedy  Channel,  Kane  Sea,  and  Hayes  Sound. 

Similar  physical  conditions  must  govern  the  distribution  of  the 
inland  ice  in  Greenland,  and  I  doubt  not  that  from  Thank  God 
Harbor  one  can  travel  eastward  to  St.  George  Fiord,  and  prob- 
ably thence,  through  inlets  and  connecting  valleys,  over  the  coast 
of  Greenland  to  the  east  coast.  Such  a  trip  I  had  planned,  but 
was  obliged  to  abandon  it  for  want  of  dogs.  The  absence  of  any 
coast-glaciers  north  of  Petermann  Fiord,  the  extreme  inland 
extension  of  Victoria,  Xares,  Sherard  Osborn,  and  other  in- 
lets, as  well  as  the  comparative  freedom  of  the  bordering  coasts 
from  snow  are  all  significant  facts. 

The  actual  determination  of  the  northern  edge  of  the  inland 
ice  of  Greenland  would  have  been  a  valuable  contribution  to 
Arctic  geography,  which  would  have  fittingly  supplemented  the 
discovery  of  such  extraordinary  physical  conditions  as  resulted 
from  our  summer  explorations  in  Grinnell  Land. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

LAUNCH    TRIPS,    ETC. 

T~\UEING  my  absence  in  the  interior  affairs  had  passed 
-*-^  quietly  at  the  home  station.  The  hunters  had  assidu- 
ously kept  the  field,  but  the  scarcity  of  large  game,  and  the 
shyness  of  the  birds,  made  it  profitable  only  as  exercise  and 
employment.  Unfortunately  the  hot  days  of  June  spoiled  a 
large  quantity  of  meat,  which  became  fly-blown,  although  care- 
fully watched.  A  future  party,  by  all  means,  should  excavate 
a  cellar  for  game,  whenever  the  amount  on  hand  is  considerable. 

On  July  12th  winter  again  threatened,  for  thin  ice  formed  in 
places  over  the  harbor  in  early  morning  and  late  evening. 
Although  the  sun  was  yet  above  the  horizon  at  midnight,  the 
temperature  fell  to  29°  (—1.7°  C.),  a  very  low  reading  so  near 
midsummer.  The  weather  moderated,  and  a  genuine  rain  came 
three  days  later. 

On  July  6th  Schneider  shot  a  Sabine  gull,  a  rare  bird,  the 
first  of  the  species  at  Conger,  and  probably  the  most  northern 
specimen  ever  obtained.  It  was  in  company  with  long-tailed 
skuas,  while  the  examples  seen  by  Bessels  were  with  the  tern. 

Near  the  end  of  the  month  a  hunting  party,  under  Sergeant 
Brainard,  visited  Cape  Beechy.  They  killed  eight  musk-oxen, 
twenty -four  geese,  and  two  goslings.  The  geese  were  moulting 
in  Beechy  Lake,  and  the  hunters  found  it  necessary  to  strip  and 
swim  to  the  central  ice  to  secure  their  game. 

Whisler  and  Henry,  at  the  same  time,  were  sent  across  country 


418  THREE   YEARS   OF  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

to  bring  from  Black  Eock  Vale  the  Eskimo  relics  cached  by  me. 
Passing  to  the  westward  of  Lake  Alexandra,  they  discovered, 
some  distance  beyond,  a  lake  one-half,  and  a  second  one-third, 
the  size  of  Lake  Alexandra,  into  which  they  drained,  thus 
forming  a  chain.  In  the  two  lakes  nearest  the  sea,  fish  were 
seen,  the  largest  about  four  inches  long.  *  A  fourth  lake  exists 
near  the  Bellows,  and  drains  into  that  valley.  They  shot  dur- 
ing their  absence  two  musk-oxen  and  a  hare.  As  no  officer 
cared  to  make  the  trip,  Sergeant  Brainard  was  sent  with  the 
jolly-boat  to  Basil  Norris  Bay  for  this  meat.  Unfortunately 
one  animal  had  spoiled,  but  the  other,  with  two  shot  by  Brain- 
ard's  party,  was  brought  in. 

These  cattle,  with  one  killed  near  the  station  by  Jens,  aver- 
aged three  hundred  and  seventy-seven  pounds  dressed,  a  con- 
trast to  sixteen  weighed  in  June,  which  averaged  but  little  over 
two  hundred  pounds. 

On  July  20th  Dr.  Pavy's  contract  as  surgeon  of  the  expedi- 
tion was  renewed,  the  conditions  being  slightly  changed  in  his 
interest,  and  at  his  request.  The  oath  was  formally  adminis- 
tered, and  the  contract  witnessed  by  Lieutenant  Lockwood. 

The  ice  had  commenced  to  break  up  on  July  9th,  on  which  day 
the  harbor  partly  cleared,  and  later  the  water  increased  rapidly 
in  Hall  Basin.  Private  Ellis,  on  July  22d,  positively  claimed 
that  he  saw  a  walrus  off  Distant  Cape,  which  indicated  much 
open  water  southward,  and  augured  well  for  the  coming  of  the 
visiting  steamer.  The  storm  of  July  28th,  during  which  the 
wind  reached  forty-eight  miles  an  hour  from  the  southeast, 
broke  up  much  of  the  ice  in  the  straits,  and  left  open  water 
south  of  a  line  drawn  from  Cape  Murchison  to  Petermann  Fiord. 

Discovery  Harbor  was  unusually  clear  of  ice  the  last  half  of 
July,  and  boating  was  much  indulged  in.  Schneider  saw,  July 
29th,  near  the  station,  a  small  fish,  resembling  a  salmon,  which 


LAUNCH   TRIPS,    ETC.  419 

may  have  come  down  from  Lake  Alexandra.  A  few  days  later 
I  saw  two  minnows,  about  an  inch  long,  in  the  harbor. 

The  conditions  in  Hall's  basin  remaining  favorable,  I  decided 
to  run  the  launch  southward  around  Cape  Lieber,  to  determine 
the  state  of  the  ice  in  Kennedy  Channel,  and  with  the  hope  of 
seeing  to  the  southward  the  visiting  steamer,  which  all  expected 
daily.  "VVe  left  August  7th,  at  10  A.M.,  and  two  hours  and  a 
half  later  landed  Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  Sergeants  Brainard 
and  Israel,  who  were  to  explore  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Baird  dur- 
ing our  absence. 

As  the  tide  had  commenced  setting  some  light  ice  southward, 
I  did  not  care  to  venture  too  far,  and  so  landed,  about  3  P.M., 
just  north  of  Cape  Cray  croft.  Here  I  cached  a  barrel  of  bread 
and  a  hundred  pounds  of  meat,  which  I  had  brought  out  to  sup- 
plement the  small  stores  at  Cape  Baird,  in  case  of  delay. 

From  an  elevation  of  about  two  hundred  feet  Kennedy  Chan- 
nel was  carefully  examined  with  a  glass.  Cape  Constitution 
and  the  eastern  half  of  Franklin  Island  could  be  plainly  seen, 
but  no  ice,  except  a  rare  and  occasional  floeberg.  It  was  evident 
that  Kennedy  Channel  was  freer  from  ice  than  in  August,  1881. 
Doubts  were  expressed  as  to  whether  a  ship  had  been  sent,  for 
it  seemed  certain  that  she  would  have  run  up  during  the  south- 
westerly gales.  During  an  hour's  stay  the  men  occupied  their 
spare  time  in  obtaining  fossils,  the  presence  of  which  had  been 
detected  by  Sergeant  Gardiner.  This  place  was  again  visited, 
and  the  report  of  Sergeant  Gardiner  on  fossils  forms  an  ap- 
pendix. Sergeant  Brainard  also  found  later  many  fossils  and  a 
petrified  forest  near  Cape  Baird. 

On  our  return,  the  eastern  entrance  of  Discovery  Harbor  was 
found  to  be  packed  with  ice,- and,  running  in  to  the  westward  of 
Bellot  Island,  we  reached  shore  near  Proteus  Point  with  great 
trouble. 


420  THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC    SERVICE. 

The  party  at  Cape  Baird  had  examined  the  country  thor- 
oughly. The  only  land-game  was  a  dirty  yellowish-white  fox, 
which  had  also  been  seen  from  the  launch.  Sergeant  Brainard, 
who  seemed  intuitively  to  locate  such  places,  discovered  the 
sites  of  eighteen  Eskimo  summer  tents,  and  gathered  near  them 
a  large  number  of  relics.  The  circles  varied  from  five  to  fifteen 
feet  in  diameter.  There  were  two  upstanders,  runners,  bone 


Eskimo  Stone  Lamp,  Found  near  Cape  Baird,  81°  30'  N. 
[From  a  photograph.] 

shoes,  cross-bars,  etc.,  making  a  complete  sledge ;  a  very  large 
stone  (steatite  probably)  lamp,  fifteen  inches  across,  was  broken 
in  five  pieces,  and  had  been  still  used  fastened  together  by  seal 
thongs.  There  was  also  a  bone  spear-head,  and  other  relics  of 
like  material,  the  use  of  which  was  unknown  to  our  Danish 
Eskimo. 

Our  trip  to  Cape  Craycrof  t  was  a  disappointing  one,  in  that  it 


LAUNCH  TRIPS,    ETC.  421 

gave  no  tidings  of  the  relief  steamer.  The  causes  which  delayed 
her  are  plain  from  the  report  of  Mr.  Beebe,  which  shows  too 
conclusively  a  misapprehension  of  the  situation.  From  Beebe's 
statements  it  appears  that  the  Neptune  remained  about  nine 
days  in  Pandora  Harbor,  the  time  being  partly  spent  in  hunt- 
ing. "  During  our  stay  there  of  a  week,"  he  says,  "  riding  out 
a  succession  of  southwesterly  gales,  much  trouble  was  experi- 
enced, our  anchor  being  lost,  etc.  ...  On  August  7th 
the  water-casks  were  filled,  and  we  resumed  our  way  north- 
ward." 

It  is  well  known  that  strong  southwesterly  winds  insure  the 
most  favorable  conditions  (indeed,  during  a  bad  ice-year  the  only 
conditions)  under  which  Smith  Sound  and  Kane  Sea  can  be  navi- 
gated. Since  the  Neptune  spent  her  time  in  a  retired  harbor, 
losing  her  anchors  under  a  wind  which  undoubtedly  cleared 
from  ice  the  whole  west  side  of  Kane  Sea,  we  can  now  easily 
understand  why  she  failed  to  reach  Conger  in  1882. 

I  had  still  some  hopes  of  the  ship,  but,  as  Archer  Fiord 
was  open,  I  felt  obliged  to  send  the  launch  Lady  Greely, 
under  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  to  examine  the  head  of  the  fiord, 
with  a  view  to  future  exploration  in  that  direction.  He  left  on 
August  13th,  with  orders  to  be  absent  not  exceeding  three  days. 
He  followed  the  southern  shore  outward,  in  order  to  obtain 
game.  "  The  north  shore,"  he  says,  "  is  at  the  foot  of  a  con- 
tinuous line  of  steep  cliffs,  while  the  southern  is  a  glassy  slope 
rising  gradually  to  the  hills  some  miles  back.  In  places,  how- 
ever, these  hills  approach  the  shore,  and  here  and  there  the 
mountain  streams  have  formed  great  gaps  and  declivities.  .  .  . 
Ella  Bay  is  walled  in  on  both  sides  by  steep  and  high  cliffs, 
which,  extending  inland,  form  a  valley." 

Unfortunately,  at  the  head  of  Ella  Bay  the  launch  was  ran 
Upon  a  large  shoal  at  high  tide,  and  was  left  high  and  dry. 


422  THREE  YEARS   OP  ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

This  gave  Lieutenant  Lockwood  great  uneasiness,  and  he  was 
unable  to  absent  himself  from  the  launch  more  than  two  or 
three  hours.  As  soon  as  the  launch  could  be  got  off  he  was 
obliged  to  return,  which  was  done  without  farther  mishap.  Dur- 
ing the  trip  a  large  amount  of  game  was  obtained,  comprising 
twelve  musk-oxen,  weighing  twenty-four  hundred  pounds  ; 
twenty-four  geese,  three  hares,  twenty  ptarmigans,  and  forty-five 
smaller  birds.  In  the  waters  at  the  head  of  Ella  Bay  there  were 
many  large  yellow  jelly-fish,  one  of  which,  over  six  inches  in  di- 
ameter, was  brought  to  the  station. 

A  large  bone,  apparently  of  a  Greenland  whale,  was  discovered 
at  the  head,  and  a  very  large  piece  of  driftwood  at  the  south 
shore,  of  the  bay.  The  bone  was  three  and  a  half  feet  in  length, 
a  foot  in  diameter,  was  partly  petrified  and  weighed  eighty-five 
pounds.  A  small  glacier  was  noticed  in  Beatrix  Bay,  and  two 
others  on  the  south  side  of  Archer  Fiord.  Traces  of  summer 
encampments  of  Eskimo  were  observed  here  and  there  on  the 
shores  of  Ella  Bay.  A  visit  to  Hillock  Depot  proved  that  the 
provisions  cached  in  bags  by  Lieutenant  Archer,  R.]^.,  had  been 
eaten  by  foxes  or  wolves. 

About  thirty  more  head  of  musk-oxen  were  seen  on  the  south 
side  of  the  fiord,  but  they  were  not  disturbed,  on  account  of  the 
quantity  of  meat  already  on  board  and  the  uncertainty  of  our 
coal  lasting  for  the  return  journey. 

Sergeant  Brainard,  who  had  charge  of  the  fresh  meat,  records 
that  up  to  this  date  fifty-two  musk-oxen  had  been  obtained  in 
1882,  averaging  two  hundred  and  forty-three  pounds  each  of 
dressed  meat. 

Private  Long,  on  August  12th,  distinguished  himself  as  a 
hunter.  My  journal  of  the  following  day  says  : 

"Long  returned  at  6  P.M.,  having  been  gone  twenty-two 
hours  hunting.  His  prolonged  absence  caused  much  alarm,  as 


LAUNCH  TRIPS,    ETC.  423 

he  was  alone.  Several  parties  had  been  sent  out  to  search  for 
him,  when  he  was  met  returning.  lie  had  fallen  in  with  a 
herd  of  musk-oxen  in  the  valley,  about  two  miles  above  the 
head  of  St.  Patrick  Bay.  He  had  sixteen  rounds  of  ammuni- 
tion at  starting,  and,  shortly  after,  fired  two  at  an  owl.  With 
the  remaining  ammunition  he  killed  eight  musk-oxen,  and 
wounded  two  others  ;  four  escaped.  He  had  delayed  to  skin 
the  eight  before  returning  lo  the  station,  in  order  that  the  meat 
should  not  taint.  He  saw  three  large  falcons  (Falco  candicans), 
the  first  that  have  been  observed  by  us." 

Long's  record  as  a  hunter  had  always  been  a  fine  one,  but 
this  success  first  particularly  called  my  attention  to  his  extraor- 
dinary qualities  in  that  direction.  He  never  afterward,  even 
under  most  critical  circumstances,  failed  to  show  the  same  pa- 
tience, coolness,  and  skill  as  on  this  occasion. 

My  journal  says : 

"  August  1-ith. — Lieutenant  Kislingbury,  having  volunteered 
for  the  work,  left,  with  the  Valorous,  to  obtain  the  meat  at  the 
head  of  St.  Patrick  Bay,  intending  to  pass  around  Distant  Cape 
to  Cape  Murchison  by  boat,  but  he  was  obliged  to  return,  ow- 
ing to  the  ice  crowded  against  the  shore  between  Dutch  Island 
and  Distant  Cape.  He  left  again  at  noon,  with  four  men,  to  put 
the  meat  on  tripods  off  the  ground,  where  it  will  be  safe  until  it 
can  be  brought  in  by  sledge." 

"  August  15th. — Lieutenant  Kislingbury  and  party  came  back 
this  afternoon,  having  remained  over  night  in  St.  Patrick  Valley. 
The  meat  is  securely  cached — hung  on  poles  in  stone  huts  which 
they  constructed.  The  three  cattle  lately  killed  by  Brainard 
and  Cross  were  visited,  and  are  in  good  condition.  Falcons 
were  seen,  but  not  near  enough  for  a  shot  to  be  obtained." 

On  August  19th  Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  ordered,  with  the 
launch,  to  Ida  Bay,  the  southwestern  point  of  Chandler  Fiord, 


424 


THREE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 


leaving  en  route  Dr.  Pavy  and  Sergeant  Elison  at  Cape  Baird, 
whence  they  were  to  visit  Carl  Bitter  Bay  on  foot,  in  the  hope 
that  some  signs  of  a  ship  might  be  noted.  The  trip  was  made 
without  serious  difficulty,  until  densely  packed  ice  was  fallen  in 
with  in  Chandler  Fiord  some  miles  to  the  westward  of  Miller 
Island.  The  launch  reached  with  difficulty  a  point  within  a 
mile  of  the  northern  extension  of  the  fiord. 


Chandler  Fiord  looking  Westward,  Ida  Bay  to  Extreme  Left. 
[From  a  photograph.] 

Sergeant  Israel,  our  astronomer,  landed  at  several  places,  and 
made  sufficiently  extended  astronomical  and  trigonometrical  ob- 
servations to  accurately  determine  the  configuration  of  the 
southern  part  of  the  fiord.  A  small,  rocky  islet  was  discovered 
just  to  the  west  of  Miller  Island,  which  in  April  had  seemed  to 
me  to  be  a  prolongation  of  the  latter  island.  Several  photo- 
graphs were  taken,  and  two  musk-oxen  were  obtained. 

In  a  ravine  on  the  southern  side  of  Chandler  Fiord  were 


LAUNCH   TRIPS,   ETC.  425 

found  many  stone  caches,  evidently  the  work  of  Eskimo,  and  a 
number  of  bone  implements,  which  proved  the  occasional  visits 
of  these  folk  in  former  ages. 

Other  extracts  from  my  journal  show  the  important  incidents 
of  the  autumn  of  1882. 

"  August  22d. — With  Sergeant  Brainard  I  visited  the  coal- 
mine in  Watercourse  Ravine,  and  obtained  a  large  number  of 
fine  fossils.  Returning  by  the  way  of  Distant  Cape,  we  saw  a 
musk-ox,  which  was  killed  by  Brainard.  The  straits  are  solid 
above  Cape  Murchison,  and  from  that  point,  as  far  below  Cape 
Lieber  as  can  be  seen,  everything  is  open  and  clear.  I  sent  Jens 
and  Connell  to  Lake  Alexandra  to  visit  the  nets.  They  brought 
back  a  fine  salmon,  which  weighed  four  and  three-fourths 
pounds  and  was  eighteen  inches  long.  A  net  had  been  set,  and 
also  thirty  hooks,  but  this  was  the  only  fish  obtained  so  far." 

There  were  many  fish  in  Lake  Alexandra,  but  the  meshes  of  the 
net  were  unfortunately  too  large  to  catch  them.  On  the  17th 
Dr.  Pavy  saw  a  fish  resembling  the  sculpin  near  the  tide-gauge 
— the  first  seen  of  that  variety.  A  few  days  later  fish  of  the 
same  character,  which  were  from  two  to  six  inches  in  length, 
were  observed  near  the  head  of  St.  Patrick  Bay.  These  latter 
were  seen  by  Sergeant  Brainard,  who  was  sent,  with  five  men, 
to  bring  to  the  station  the  whale-boat  cached  the  preceding 
year  at  Depot  "  B  "  near  Cape  Beechy. 

"  Auo-ust  25th. — Artificial  light  will  soon  be  needed.    I  have 

o  ~ 

quite  given  up  the  ship ;  as,  indeed,  have  most  of  the  men.  I 
hope  against  hope,  and  defer  going  on  an  allowance  of  our  re- 
maining stock  of  vegetables  until  September  1st.  We  have 
enough  of  them,  but,  in  the  matter  of  vegetables,  we  must  live 
much  more  simply  than  the  past  year.  The  straits  were  un- 
usually free  from  ice  to-day,  as  was  Archer  Fiord.  I  sent 
Lieutenant  Lockwood,  at  5  P.M.,  with  launch  Lady  Greely,  to 


426  THKEE   YEARS   OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

Cape  Baird  to  bring  back  Dr.  Pavy.  He  adds  to  the  depot  a 
barrel  of  hard  bread,  a  box  of  extract  of  beef,  and  another  of 
roast  beef,  and  a  small  quantity  of  coal.  I  regret  exceedingly 
that  Sergeant  Brainard  is  not  back,  as  then  I  could  have  sent 
the  Valorous  to  Cape  Baird  and  had  her  hauled  up.  As  it  is, 
with  the  whale-boat  at  Cape  Beechy,  I  feel  insecure  in  sending 
our  only  large  boat  beyond  our  reach.  We  should  have  had  a 
second  whale-boat,  but  money  was  lacking  in  1881." 

"  August  27th. —  Brainard  arrived  at  midnight  with  the 
whale-boat.  Considerable  trouble  had  been  experienced  both 
from  old  and  new  ice.  They  reached  Depot  '  B '  in  six  and 
one  fourth  hours,  but  were  seventeen  in  returning. 

"  Lieutenant  Lockwood  back  this  morning  with  Dr.  Pavy's 
party,  which  reached  Cape  Baird  yesterday  morning.  Dr.  Pavy 
found  that  the  valley  near  Baird,  down  which  Pavy  river  flows, 
extends  to  a  divide  which  is  only  five  miles  from  Cape  Defosse,  to 
which  cape  a  second  valley,  broad  and  large,  descends.  Four 
lakes  are  formed  by  the  enlargement  of  the  river  between  Cape 
Baird  and  the  divide.  They  reached  Carl  Hitter  Bay  via  the 
coast,  and  found  the  cache  there  exactly  as  it  was  left  over  a 
year  ago.  No  ice  was  seen  in  Kennedy  Channel,  nor  as  far 
south  as  they  could  see  from  an  elevation  of  seven  hundred 
feet  at  Cape  Defosse.  At  Carl  Bitter  Bay  the  weather  was 
foggy  and  disagreeable.  They  were  fifty  hours  in  going  and  re- 
turning from  Baird.  Dr.  Pavy  found  some  Eskimo  relics  at 
Cape  Baird.  Two  musk-cattle,  a  cow  and  calf,  were  killed  by 
Elison  during  the  journey." 

The  first  serious  breach  of  discipline  occurred  on  August  28th, 
in  the  case  of  my  engineer,  a  skilled  machinist,  whose  services 
were  indispensable,  and  of  whom  I  had  expected  better  things. 
My  journal  says  :  "  The  engineer  is  drunk  to-day.  He  fell  from 
the  launch  into  the  water,  where  he  would  have  drowned  if  he 


LAUNCH  TRIPS,    ETC.  427 

had  not  been  rescued  by  Brainard.  He  refused  to  obey  any  orders 
of  the  non-commissioned  officers  until  I  took  him  in  hand  my- 
self. I  learned  from  Lieutenant  Lockwood  that  he  had  stolen  a 
portion  of  the  alcohol  which  was  sent  with  the  launch  for  fuel 
on  the  late  trip  up  Archer  Fiord,  and  was  drunk  at  that  time. 
He  evidently  avails  himself  of  every  opportunity  to  purloin  and 
conceal  a  portion  of  the  fuel  alcohol  sent  out  with  parties." 

Lieutenant  Lockwood  was  ordered,  on  the  25)th,  to  the  head  of 
Archer  Fiord  for  exploration.  At  7  A.M.,  however,  the  tem- 
perature fell  to  31.9°  (—0.1°  C.),  to  remain  permanently  below 
the  freezing-point,  as  it  transpired,  being  one  day  earlier  than 
in  1881 ;  and,  the  weather  being  threatening,  Lieutenant  Lock- 
wood's  orders  were  countermanded. 

On  August  31st  my  journal  says:  "The  harbor  is  completely 
filled  with  pack-ice,  which  opened  a  little  this  evening.  The 
young  ice  is  forming  slowly,  but  it  will  readily  cement  the  older 
floes,  jammed  together  as  they  now  are.  I  assigned  Frederick 
to  duty  as  engineer  to  run  the  launch.  I  sent  it  and  the  Valor- 
ous to-day  to  Dutch  Island,  under  Lieutenant  Lockwood,  with 
instructions  to  have  them  placed  in  safety,  so  that  they  can  be 
hauled  up  for  winter  quarters. 

"  Lieutenant  Lockwood  returned  at  1  A.M.  with  the  party,  re- 
porting the  launch  left  in  safe  condition.  I  visited  Dutch  Island 
immediately  after  breakfast,  to  see  exactly  how  the  launch  was 
situated,  and  my  action  proved  very  fortunate.  I  found  she 
had  grounded,  and,  having  fallen  seaward,  her  outer  taffrail  was 
about  two  inches  under  water,  caused  by  the  tide  which  had  just 
commenced  flowing.  I  ran  to  the  station  as  rapidly  as  possible, 
and,  obtaining  a  party  with  ropes,  succeeded  in  righting  the 
launch  and  clearing  her  of  water,  though  with  much  difficulty. 
I  had  her  moored  at  a  safe  distance  from  shore,  and  have 
ordered  her  to  be  visited  at  every  low  tide.  The  harbor  is 


428  THREE   YEARS    OF   ARCTIC   SERVICE. 

jammed  with  pack-ice,  but  there  is  as  yet  no  young  ice.  A 
year  ago  the  young  ice  was  four  and  three-eighths  inches  thick, 
the  harbor  freezing  over  as  far  as  Dutch  Island." 

The  laying  up  of  the  launch  had  been  delayed  until  the  last 
moment,  as  that  action  was  a  plain  declaration  that  the  visiting 
steamer  was  no  longer  expected,  and  that  a  second  winter  must 
be  met  without  the  hoped-for  arrival  of  farther  supplies,  fresh 
recruits,  and,  most  of  all,  news  from  the  outside  world.  It  was 
harder  to  face  this  misfortune  than  we  had  anticipated. 

In  hauling  up  the  launch  at  Dutch  Island,  I  realized  the  dan- 
ger of  so  doing,  for  no  absolutely  secure  berth  could  be  found  for 
her.  It  was  a  choice  of  evils,  however,  as  I  looked  forward  to 
the  contingency  of  a  possible  retreat  in  1883.  As  it  happened, 
the  launch  would  have  been  unavailable  the  following  year,  if  I 
tad  secured  her  on  the  ice-foot  near  the  station  as  in  1881.  In 
1883  Discovery  Harbor  never  cleared  of  ice,  a  condition  which 
is  not  unusual,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  unbroken  floe  through 
which  the  Proteus  forced  her  way  on  our  arrival  in  1881. 


END    OF   VOLUME    I. 


